Is there a marriage proposal in Khuzdul? Like how would I say it?

Well met, sunnyofitaly!

What a wonderful question — and one that digs deep into the stonework of Dwarvish sentiment. I’m truly glad you asked.

Proposals among Dwarves — if they happen at all — are rare, meaningful, and, above all, private. Dwarves do not take such bonds lightly. As explored in this earlier article of mine on Dwarven marriage customs, only about a third of Dwarves are women, and of those, very few marry. When a match is made, it is for life — forged with all the seriousness one might expect from a people who see love as an inseparable bond, profound familial honour, and a link to their past and even their gods.

Dwarves rarely engage in public displays of affection. Marriage is often quietly arranged or mutually acknowledged — though I imagine even the most stoic Dwarf has their own private way of making their intentions known.

🪓 Would There Be a “Proposal” as We Know It?

I would imagine not in the way Elves or Men might do it. But that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be words — carefully chosen, spoken with solemnity, perhaps whispered over a forge or in a quiet stone hall.

It’s worth noting that either party may express interest, but it is the Dwarf-woman who ultimately chooses her husband-to-be — a tradition both ancient and quietly powerful. Once she has made her choice, it is the male who follows with a formal proposal, which includes the acquirement sum or contract ("zarb"), offered in solemn recognition of the union to come.

Part of A Dwarvish Zarb

Only once both parties are in agreement does the betrothal period begin.

The traditional order is strict and honoured:

Given their fierce loyalty and private nature, such proposals would not be made lightly — and would almost certainly occur in private, shared only between the pair (perhaps even whispered, not spoken aloud).

💍 Suggested Proposal Phrases:

🌍 Would a Dwarf Go Down on One Knee?

Unlikely on one knee... more likely on both.

Dwarves, much like the ancient cultures Tolkien drew from — particularly Old Norse and Hebraic — are more likely to see marriage as a solemn pact, a joining of Houses and lineages, rather than an emotionally demonstrative moment. Norse sagas and Hebrew texts both emphasize contract, lineage, and honour over ceremony or romantic flourish.

So while a Human might kneel, offer a ring, and proclaim love in the open square, a Dwarf would be far more private — presenting a forged item with both hands or a written zarb (marriage contract) as proof of their intention.

Instead of bending one knee, it would seem logical that they go down on both knees, showing total submission by lowering their head, and presenting their crafted token with both hands, then speak their carefully chosen words softly but with full weight — not as a question, but as a statement of will.

To a Dwarf, marriage is not an emotional leap… it’s a final deliberate forging. And every master forging begins with the steady hand of a craftsperson who knows exactly what they’re doing.

📜 A Final Few Cultural Notes:

Ever at your service, The Dwarrow Scholar

Hey, i was thinking to get a tattoo of the khuzdul word ”Yanâd Durinul” but in it’s runic form.

But i have one problem, i can not find how to write it in runes

Well met!

Ah yes — Yanâd Durinul (“Sons of Durin”) — a proud and resonant phrase indeed, and a popular one for those wanting to honour Durin’s line in lasting form.

You're certainly not the first to ask how to render this in runes, and likely not the last, so let’s put this on the record for others wondering the same.

Below you’ll find the transcription of Yanâd Durinul in runes, as requested.

🪓 A Note on Neo-Khuzdul While Yanâd Durinul is indeed a valid Neo-Khuzdul construction meaning “Sons of Durin,” it’s worth remembering that Neo-Khuzdul — though deeply rooted in Tolkien’s linguistic notes and developed with scholarly care — remains an extrapolated language. As you are no doubt aware of, Tolkien himself only left behind fragments of Khuzdul, and much of what we use today is built upon those foundations through thoughtful reconstruction.

This particular phrase holds some cinematic significance. It was featured in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, shouted by Dáin’s army as they charged the Elves. The line — like all Neo-Khuzdul in the films — was constructed by David Salo for the screen adaptation. That said, this phrase is solid, culturally fitting, and one that many Dwarrow-kind have proudly carried — in verse, in story, and, yes, on their skin. If you're confident in its meaning, origin and heritage, then by all means, let the stone be carved.

Ever at your service, The Dwarrow Scholar

I know your project deals with your own Khuzdul conlang and Khazad interpretations, but I was curious about your thoughts on the new Return to Moria game that just came out. Since the game spends all its time in the original Dwarven capital and thus it expands on Tolkien's Khazad history and culture, what do you think of the things it brings to the table?

Well met, CommonStarGuy!

Ah yes… Return to Moria — and yes indeed, this question does date itself (and me, I suppose). The game came out back in October 2023, which makes this a perfect example of how questions can sometimes wander the long dark halls of the queue before surfacing again. But as the Dwarves say: “Stone endures, even when slow to answer.”

Now, as for the game itself — I’ve played it, and I must say I genuinely enjoyed the setting and core concept. On a related note, I’d also like to thank the developers of Return to Moria for kindly providing me with a free copy of the game. It was very much appreciated, and it allowed me to explore the experience firsthand — something that greatly informed this reply.

The atmosphere, the music, the themes of rebuilding Khazad-dûm stone by stone — all of that strikes a fine Dwarvish chord. There’s a lot of heart put into it, and as a fan of all things Dwarrvish, I was delighted to see the spotlight shine once again on Durin’s Folk.

That said… there’s a caveclaw in the mine.

🗿 A Different Neo-Khuzdul?

Yes — the game introduces its own version of Neo-Khuzdul, developed by none other than David Salo, who had previously constructed Neo-Khuzdul for Peter Jackson’s films. But here’s the twist: this is not the same Neo-Khuzdul used in the films, nor in my own work, nor in most fan-created materials.

Because the developers didn’t have access to the film rights — or the Jackson/Salo conlang work — Salo started from scratch, creating an entirely new version of the language for this game.

Examples of the very different version of Neo-Khuzdul created for this game.

💬 My Thoughts?

To be frank: initially, I was disappointed. Not because this new version is poorly constructed — but because it feels like a missed opportunity for consistency. The Khuzdul used in the films (and in my own Neo-Khuzdul project, which builds on that framework) has grown into a shared fan-language with community, history, and development behind it.

To throw that out entirely — rather than building on or even acknowledging that foundation — does feel like a bit of a disservice to the many fans who have studied, used, sung, and celebrated Neo-Khuzdul for years now.

And honestly — surely it could not have been that difficult to obtain rights to a conlang used in a movie franchise they are otherwise clearly drawing so much inspiration from. It’s a strange choice, and one that breaks immersion for those more deeply invested in the linguistic roots of Middle-earth.

What makes this more perplexing is that this version of Neo-Khuzdul appears to be a mere collection of isolated lines. From what I understand, Salo did not construct a complete grammar or vocabulary base, but rather translated individual phrases as requested by the developers — essentially working line-by-line, rather than crafting a new language framework.

That said, I do understand why this was the case. It’s a game — not a linguistic simulation — and for their purposes, they didn’t need a full, functioning conlang. Their focus was on flavour and immersion, not philological depth. And that’s valid.

Still… for those of us who’ve mined the linguistic veins of Khuzdul for years, it’s a little disheartening to see the deeper strata left untouched — especially in a game so focused on reclaiming cultural roots.

It’s a little like discovering a newly built anvil in the depths of Moria… but made of plastic.

🧱 Final Thoughts

Still — lore additions, atmosphere, and the sheer joy of seeing Moria inhabited again? Return to Moria gets a solid nod from me. I just wish they had treated the linguistic side with the same reverence they showed the architecture.

It’s also worth mentioning that this isn’t the first — and certainly won’t be the last — time a new version of Neo-Khuzdul has been created for a specific project. These are usually small-scale adaptations, made to serve the needs of a particular game, film, or fan work. They often borrow a handful of familiar sounds or roots, but are rarely built to be fully usable languages. While that’s understandable from a production standpoint, it does contribute to the growing fragmentation of Khuzdul interpretations — something that can be both creatively interesting and occasionally confusing.

Ever at your service, The Dwarrow Scholar

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