A Language Carved Into Stone
The language of the dwarves, or the Fjorla as they refer to themselves, Fjorkaddr is a language that can only truly be spoken by dwarves. Fjorkad is a conglomoration of several clan's languages into a single cohesive dwarven tongue, and represents their unification, though it would be impossible to tell them apart at this point, as Fjorkad is the longest lasting language of the dwarves.
Fjorkad is a unique language in that it requires the listener to have the specific capacity of dwarves in order to get full meaning from its sounds. The hearing of dwarves allows for an understanding of shape in sounds, and those shapes are given meaning in the language. As a result, when a creature that speaks dwarven who cannot hear those sounds, or make the correct noise with their phsyiology, the meaning can easily be lost or misinterpreted.
Fjorkad in Two
Fjorkad is spoken essentially twice at once. Once in traditional means, as a sound that can be understood at face value. The second way is in the shape that the specific pitch and timbre spoken with results in to the ears of a dwarf. They have different purposes in the language, though to dwarves, they are both equally necessary to get a full picture of what was to be communicated.
The spoken, "physical sound" component presents the reality of meaning, and is known as the "Kergaan" of the language. This is what is literally meant in speech, such as a place, color, person or any other non-conceptual thing or idea.
The shape-sound, what dwarves refer to as the "Herengav", is what is seen and heard. This is the shape that appirates in a dwarf's vision as sound occurs, and carries meaning of its own in their tongue. This portion of the spoken language is attached to the kergaan, and lets the dwarves add context and meaning to words without adding other fluff to the word. Herengav is added to words through pitch and timbre, and will impact the emotion tied to a word, as well as a number of other features.
Knots of Language
The writing of Fjorkad is in the design of a three-lined knot or braid known as a "Dera" or "Fjorkadera", which is originally meant to be carved into stone, allowing for dwarves to drag their fingers through it, and feel the knots moving to discern meaning. In a sense like braille, this writing allows for reading in complete darkness, though when written in a traditional with ink on parchment, it can also be read. There is no formal directionality other than "wherever it starts", with the line leading the way.
The top two lines for the dera determine the kergaan, the literal meaning of what is being said. They form the spoken consonants and vowels, while the bottom line determines the herengav, or what shape-sound should be understood for the context of the kergaan. As they interweave, they may also change each other in context, and many exceptions exist in the writing of Fjorkad as the aesthetic goal of the writing is also important. As the language can line the walls of great halls, many generations of dwarves seeing and reading them, sometimes aesthetic overrules what should grammatically be done, and so exceptions are plentiful in dera.
