Ruulden
Ruulden is the oldest surviving language in the world and remains the official tongue of Ruulran. Though once widespread across Directionland, it diverged over centuries into modern Common Directian. Today, Ruulden is reserved for religious rites, ancient texts, formal diplomacy, and cultural ceremonies.
1. Phonetics and Pronunciation
Ruulden has a flowing and sacred tone, emphasizing clarity, reverence, and elegance. It employs soft consonants, front-focused vowels, and distinctive diacritical marks.
Consonants
- Generally soft: r, l, n are fluid and common.
- Emphatic or authoritative terms use hard consonants: k, g, t.
- "Ch" is always pronounced as /x/ (as in Scottish "loch") or /ʃ/, depending on context.
Vowels
| Vowel | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a | /ɑ/ as in "father" | Tharn |
| e | /e/ as in "bed" | Miran |
| i | /i/ as in "machine" | Y’ie |
| o | /o/ as in "more" | Orin |
| u | /u/ as in "moon" | Ruul |
| ö | /ø/ as in German | G’öu |
| æ | /æ/ as in "cat" | Ichæ |
- Stress Patterns: Stress falls on the first syllable, unless a divine or proper root demands priority.
- Vowel Harmony: Words favor consistent vowel frontness or backness. Front vowels (e, i, ö, æ) group together; back vowels (a, o, u) likewise cluster.
- Glottal Stops: Represented by apostrophes (’), glottal stops occur in contractions, sacred names, and compound formations (for example, Ruul’yun, Y’ie).
2. Grammar Structure
- Word Order: Subject, Object, Verb (SOV). Y’ie Ruulran vath → "I see God’s Home."
- Poetic Variation: In invocations, chants, and blessings, Verb, Object order is acceptable for rhythm or emphasis. Kesh uth! → "Save us!"
3. Articles and Determiners
- Definite / relational particle: nai = "of / with / from" (possession or relation). Nai Ruul’fa → "of the Divine Father."
- Indefinite article: dri = "a / an." Dri vortha → "a tribe."
4. Nouns and Pronouns
- Nouns: No gender inflection or case declension. Possession is indicated by prefixes or possessive forms (for example, Ruul’yun, Tin vortha).
Pronouns
| Role | Singular | Dual | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Y’ie | — | Uhce |
| You | U’me | U’alæ* | U’chæ |
| He / She / It | K’ou / G’öu / Umte | — | — |
| They (singular) | U’tha | — | — |
| They (dual / plural) | — | — | Ichæ |
| Us (object) | — | — | Uth |
| Possessive | Y’ier ("my"), U’mer ("your"), Tin ("their"), Uhrer ("our") | Y’ieralæ ("my two"), U’meralæ ("your two"), Tinalæ ("their two"), Uhreralæ ("our two") | Y’ier ("my"), U’mer ("your plural"), Tin ("their"), Uhrer ("our") |
- Use duplicated prefixes with -alæ for dual possessive as needed.
- U’chæ ("you all") is used for clarity, though rarely needed in formal Ruulden.
- Uhce is the normal subject form for "we," while Uth is the object form "us."
5. Verb Conjugation
Ruulden verbs take prefixes or suffixes to indicate tense, aspect, mood, and negation.
Tense
| Tense | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present | Root verb | vath = to see |
| Past | n’ prefix / -an | n’vath, kethan |
| Future | -rath / r’ | vathrath, r’keth |
- n’ is formal; -an is more colloquial.
Aspect
- Perfective (completed): n’ prefix (n’vath = saw / have seen)
- Continuous (ongoing): -sha suffix (vathsha = seeing)
Mood
- Indicative: Standard form
- Imperative:
- Standard: ver- prefix + verb (for example, vervath! = "See!")
- Formal / plural (optional): add -en (vervathen! = "All of you, see!")
- Poetic / colloquial pleas: bare-root verbs may be used in chant or prayer (for example, kesh! = "Save!")
- Subjunctive (wish / hypothetical): -æth suffix (vathæth = "may see")
6. Existential Statements
Use ya as a copula ("is / are"):
- Ruul ya. → "God is."
- Nromitscha nai Ruul’chtan ya sar vathal. → "The north of God’s Mountain is so beautiful."
7. Possession
Use possessive forms or prefixes for nouns:
- Ruul’yun = "God’s Children"
- Tin vortha = "Their tribe"
- Y’ier tsor = "My heart"
8. Plurals
Plurality is implied by context or marked with the suffix -ithæ:
- Ruulithæ = "gods"
- Vorthæ = "tribes"
9. Adjectives and Adverbs
- Adjectives precede nouns: Tharnæ vortha = "ancient tribe."
- Adverbs usually precede verbs, but may follow for emphasis: vath umsha = "sees clearly."
10. Compound Words
Compounds are frequent and semantically rich, preserving divine roots with internal stress:
- Ruulran = "God’s Home"
- Ruul’fa = "Divine Father"
- Ruul’chtan = "God’s Mountain"
- Druinithæ’Rathil = "Connected Ones of the Forest and Land"
11. Negation
Two negation prefixes are used:
- nu- for verbs (nu’vath = "do not see")
- na- for nouns and adjectives (na vith = "no death")
12. Questions
- Interrogative particle: rath- = what / why / where (rathvath? = "What do you see?")
- Auxiliary questions: u’ie = "can you?" (rathu’ie uth nu’vath? = "Can you not see us?")
13. Numerals
Ruulden numerals are short, stress-initial forms that behave like adjective-like modifiers. They normally precede the noun they quantify.
Examples:
- alæ venshar = "two bells"
- daren tharn = "ten cycles"
Compound numerals are generally written as single words.
13.1 Basic numerals
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| Eir | one |
| Alæ | two |
| Tir | three |
| Voræ | four |
| Melen | five |
| Koren | six |
| Shalen | seven |
| Othen | eight |
| Naven | nine |
| Daren | ten |
13.2 Eleven to twenty
For 11 to 19, Ruulden forms compounds from daren + the unit root. Twenty is formed as "two tens."
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| Dareneir | eleven |
| Darenalæ | twelve |
| Darentir | thirteen |
| Darenvoræ | fourteen |
| Darenmelen | fifteen |
| Darenkoren | sixteen |
| Darenshalen | seventeen |
| Darenothen | eighteen |
| Darennaven | nineteen |
| Alædaren | twenty |
13.3 Higher tens and one hundred
Higher tens are formed by placing the numeral root before daren.
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| Tirdaren | thirty |
| Vorædaren | forty |
| Melendaren | fifty |
| Korendaren | sixty |
| Shalendaren | seventy |
| Othendaren | eighty |
| Navendaren | ninety |
| Darendaren | one hundred |
Examples:
- dareneir tharn = "eleven cycles"
- vorædaren venshar = "forty bells"
- darendaren yun = "one hundred children"
14. Key Vocabulary
14.1 Pronouns
| Ruulden | English | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Y’ie | I | Subject singular |
| U’me | you (singular) | Subject |
| K’ou | he | Subject |
| G’öu | she | Subject |
| Umte | it | Subject |
| Uhce | we | Subject plural |
| U’chæ | you (plural) | Subject plural |
| U’tha | they (singular) | Subject |
| Ichæ | they (plural) | Subject plural |
| Uth | us | Object |
| Y’ier | my | Possessive singular |
| U’mer | your (singular) | Possessive singular |
| Tin | their | Possessive singular |
| Uhrer | our | Possessive singular |
| Y’ieralæ | my (dual) | Possessive dual |
| U’meralæ | your (dual) | Possessive dual |
| Tinalæ | their (dual) | Possessive dual |
| Uhreralæ | our (dual) | Possessive dual |
14.2 Nouns
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| Aitha | cold |
| Chtan | mountain |
| Chtomia | south |
| Draveth | time |
| Draunakithæ | holy ones; saints |
| Druvath | darkness |
| Dröka | mineral |
| Finor | truth |
| Gref | gold / currency |
| Karr | noise |
| Markt | market |
| Miran | energy (light in Old Ruulden) |
| Nalketh | knowledge |
| Naneth | sanity |
| Nromitscha | north |
| Orrichia | east |
| Orrin | there |
| Ran | home |
| Rathsern | the Cursed One (Dark One) |
| Ron | sound |
| Ruul | god |
| Ruul’fa | Divine Father |
| Ruul’sha | Sacred Mother |
| Ruulran | God’s Home |
| Ruul’chtan | God’s Mountain |
| Ruul’yun | God’s Children |
| Sharnith | centuries |
| Tharn | cycle; forest (Old Ruulden) |
| Tharun | land |
| Tsor | heart |
| Umsha’ron | loudness |
| Valth | clarity / lucidity |
| Venshar | bell |
| Vethal | pride / healing |
| Vith | death |
| Vorthæ | tribes |
| Yierka | festivity |
| Yun | child |
| Yun’tharn | birthday |
14.3 Verbs
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| dallav | suffer; endure pain |
| drenai | come |
| draveth | happen |
| fina | feel |
| finai | have felt |
| keth | find; claim; seize |
| kesh | save |
| nathën | mourn |
| n’rith | live inside |
| orin | go |
| rath | ask |
| rathav | create; cause |
| rathûn | speak; cry out |
| shail | touch |
| sovan | sleep; lie dormant |
| tharnav | grow; rise |
| valar | help; strengthen |
| vath | see |
| velkar | escape; break free |
| verthal | wake |
| drailun | guide |
| orrith | carry |
| druin | protect |
14.4 Adjectives
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| draunak | sacred / holy |
| N’val | wrong |
| N’veth | worse |
| Nornæ | every |
| Rathin | cursed / accursed |
| rith | living / alive |
| sharn | eternal / continuous |
| umsha | loud / strong |
| vathal | beautiful |
14.5 Particles / Prepositions
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| ai | and |
| dri | a / an (indefinite article) |
| e’ | of / linking particle |
| inna | in / within |
| nai | of / with / from (possession) |
| sar | so / thus |
| ya | is / are (copula) |
15. Curse Words
The following terms and phrases are used colloquially, or offensively, in Ruulden.
15.1 Curse Nouns
| Ruulden | English |
|---|---|
| dranöth | shit / excrement |
| bosan | breasts / tits |
| netha | Nether |
| porsha | pig / swine |
| butan | butt / ass |
| dornun | idiot; stupid person |
15.2 Curse Phrases
| Ruulden Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Nai Odivia bosan! | By Odivia’s tits! |
| Porsha butan dornun! | Pig-assed idiot! |
| Netha butan! | Nether-ass! |
| Nai tharn! | By the cycles! |
| Druvath n’kethæ U’me! | May darkness claim you! |