Khuzdul

Among themselves, Dwarves speak Khuzdul, a cloistered tongue known to virtually no one but themselves. Khuzdul changes little with time, being a sacred, spoken language of lore and not a cradle-speech. This "inner language" is well suited to the throaty Dwarven voice, since it has a deep tonal quality. Khuzdul is marked by harsh consonants and uses two or three-consonant patterns to denote common concepts. For example, "K(h)-Z-D" structures refer to word roots equivalent that describe Dwarves or things essential to the Dwarven identity (e.g. "Khazad" — "Dwarves"; "Khazad" = "Dwarf; "Khuzdul" = Dwarvish").

WRITING The Naugrim using inscribe in an Elvish tongue using the Angerthas Moria, an unsystematic variant of the angular runic script Cirth. Because runes persevere and are by nature public, written Khuzdul is (virtually) unknown. Dwarves write in an "outer script." Given their extreme reliance on non-Khuzdul writings, the Dwarves adopt written influences much more frequently than spoken alterations. They rarely inscribe in an arcane fashion.