Dwarvish

Written by Chrundle_the_Great

Description

Dwarvish is the old language of the dwarves, upon which ancient underground kingdoms have risen and fallen. This tongue might seem harsh and grating to non-speakers, but the dwarves do not need their approval; they have their famous pride because of all that is being built with their language.
Owing to dwarven excellency in blacksmithing, their runes are commonly inscribed in magical arms and armor.

Speakers

Because of dwarven undercities amassing wealth from their mines, theirs is often the trade language in the World Above. This, coupled with dwarves living all over the world, has made Dwarvish a common language among all races. Even non-speakers will adopt Dwarvish curses, which are known to be "more creative."
In the World Below, Ansalon specifically, Dwarvish is one of the more common languages after the Cataclysm.

Dialects

While the Shield Dwarves of ancient kingdoms derive much of their knowledge from the teachings of Morndinsamman, the reavers south of the Neideijer Straits also worship Odin and Thor; thus, their dialects have diverged through the ages.
In Ansalon, where the dwarves are fiercely divided into two peoples, their languages have very little in common.

Neidar

The hill dwarf dialect is vowel-heavy and well-suited for echoing over long distances. Also, a word's meaning can be changed by varying volume or sustaining a vowel sound. As a result, it is impossible to mishear this dialect.
Because it is also impossible to whisper in Neidar Dwarvish, the Hylar have branded it "the screaming language."

Hylar

The mountain dwarf dialect makes conscious use of echoes and reverberations. In fact, Hylar Dwarvish grammar requires speakers to state their words not once, but twice.