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[Solitarian]

One solution could be that there are two ways of writing the same sound. For example, the letter ö in Swedish represents the same sound as Norwegian's ø. K and c often represent the same sound in English, and q is entirely superfluous. Perhaps â and á are two letters for the same sound.

[therahedwig]

I would use the expected sounds as used in English, because the reason we have these diacritics and other such marks is because of a lot of historical baggage from when most text was handwritten. You can assume dwarves have their own script, and the diacritics in the english transcription is so that the sounds can be represented in english, ergo, those sounds are the closest in english we can get those these dwarven sounds, with perhaps duplicate sounds being because of a thing dwarves do that could not be transcribed.

If you want to stay in-universe that is, the actual reason is proly that dwarven language ingame is extremely basic.

[darknation]

Just had to reply to this.

I wrote a mock-epic poem based on the Boatmurdered legend a couple of months ago. I'd be up for taking a shot at translating it into Dwarvish if someone could point me to a lexicon / structure guide?

Regardless, I thought some of the linguists might enjoy something suitably Dorfy-Beowulfy.


* * *

Seven sons o' Kinmelbil,
O' Oak'n Tome ain mountain home,
Th'y left thae home ain sought tae dwell
Aet Points o' Pride; th'y depths b'come
Koganusan! whur aw wid burn
In praise o' Armok: Goddis blud,
In hells o' iron! gowd ain steel!
Whur war wid wag fur twa-score year.
Koganusan! Immortal dun!
(Boatmurder'd in thae vulgar tongue)
Whur wuz revealed th'y black o' heart;
Aw fell fae brightness; intae dark.

Kinmelbil's sons trekk'd unner sun
Ain moon fer near ae hunner't days:
By ocean edge ain ower dun,
Thru boggis marsh ain grassy plain.
Thru ashen waste ain gobbis land,
Thru evil pits ain joyous wilde:
By elvin wid ain river's run,
Forever forward – marchin' oan.
Till loomin' ower burnin' sands
T'mountain stands: Koganusan!
T'mountain seein'; caw'd for th'm,
Boatmurder open'd; swalla'd th'm.

Koganusan. Koganusan!
T' hell o' iron! gowd ain steel!
Whur forg't torture; bludis ran,
Whur gorg't Death oan flesh sae weel.
Whur madness spill't frae mountain side
Ain splash'd amongst th'y blacken'd baines.
T' curse'it dun –  Koganusan!
T' hollow halls – Koganusan!
Whur innocence th'y sons unlurn't,
Ain kin ditch'd kin in pitch ain burnt,
Whur died t' sons of Kinmelbil,
Whur writ'n 'murder: crimson quill'd.

[Solitarian]

In my signature is a link to the thread which describes the grammar of Dwarven. I think you'll have difficulty with that translation, as you wrote it colloquially.

[Pvt. Pirate]

i've come to realize that it would be wiser to translate the second part of each verse first and then apply a hammer action that rhymes to it.
it's obviously what the original authors did - also it's much easier.