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In the movies, I see:

  • Gandalf read and spoke fluent Elvish.

  • He could read Black Speech. He showed Thorin Oakenshield the note that promised payment for the latter's head. He also chants the ring inscription in The council of Elrond. I'm unsure how fluent was he.

  • Not sure if it was intentional. However, he asks Lord Elrond if he still read ancient Dwarvish.

Are there mentions in the books about any other languages that he spoke? Languages like Entish, language of Rohan and Gondor, etc.

Severus Snape
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    Gondor's language was Westron, the lingua franca of Middle-earth. It was spoken all-over the regions encomprised of the two twin kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor. Gandalf was surely capable of using it. – Sekhemty Aug 11 '20 at 15:25
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    Westron is the only languages Hobbits not named Frodo and Bilbo speak. Whenever Gandalf has a conversation with Pippin he's demonstrating his mastery of Westron. – Nolimon Aug 11 '20 at 18:08
  • In The Hobbit, it is suggested he at least understands Warg. – chepner Aug 12 '20 at 15:16
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    Your question is still a subset of that question and therefore a duplicate. If Gandalf could speak Entish, it would be a language he could speak and is therefore included in the other question. Our policy is to close specific questions to the broader one. This stops there being many little questions after one main question was asked. For example "Are apples a fruit" would be the general. Some specific ones include "Are Granny Smiths apples a fruit". You should leave a comment or post a bounty if you feel the answer there is incomplete. – Edlothiad Aug 13 '20 at 06:19
  • But Entish is not a language of Elves or Men or Orcs – Severus Snape Aug 13 '20 at 06:20
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    @SeverusSnape the other question asks what languages was Gandalf proficient in. Not "Was Gandalf proficient in the languages of Elves or Men or Orcs". In fact the exact question in the linked duplicate is "Did Tolkien ever reveal the complete extent of Gandalf's linguistic knowledge?" . That most certainly would include Entish if he spoke it. And if it didn't he doesn't speak it. – Edlothiad Aug 13 '20 at 06:22
  • Okay, does that mean the answer to Could Gandalf speak Entish? is No? – Severus Snape Aug 13 '20 at 06:23
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    Any answer mentioning if he spoke Entish should be included on the linked dupe. We close specific to general and so the dupe still stands in my opinion. In a case like this it would usually be preferable to bounty the old question if you want to mentioning Entish. – TheLethalCarrot Aug 13 '20 at 06:35
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    I honestly think the original question (i.e. revision 1 in the change history) was a better question, even if it's a dupe (duplicates aren't bad, they help others, who would word it how you did vs. how the dupe worded it, to find the answers); since it's a dupe either way, I'd recommend a rollback (if you do it, you get a badge for it too, since it'd be your first rollback). – NathanS Aug 13 '20 at 08:32
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    @NathanS Yes, okay. Thanks. Rolled back. – Severus Snape Aug 13 '20 at 09:16

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