Rukialkotta

Rukialkotta is the state language of Gruenberg, a small, devout nation in Malibu Islands. It is an artificial language, only around 110 years old at the time of writing, but has become widely spoken, with around 75% of Gruenberg's adult population fluent in it. It is relatively straightforward in terms of both grammatical construction and pronunciation, and is written using the traditional Latin character set.

HISTORY

It was officially instated as such under The Formalisation of Language Act, passed in The 651st Year by decree of Polrak I. Up to this point, official documents had been issued in a haphazard mixture of tribal languages, and costly webs of translators were needed at every juncture of state business. The startling inefficiency of the system was easily reason enough to press for a common language. However, many have privately speculated that there was a further, less noble motive.

At that point, the only remaining obstacle to total Court supremacy was the traditional power-base of the tribal system. The distinct variations in language made this virtually impenetrable, and whilst there was little active dissent in Naffarron by this time, the possibility of such action remained. Furthermore, Polrak's reign was characterised by an obsessive desire for absolute power. The idea that in forcing upon Gruenbergers a new language free of tribal or historical associations he in fact sought to remove the final significant source of opposition is not only plausible: it is highly probable. The strenuous denials of such (perhaps predictably, treasonable) 'slanders' by the Court has done little to dampen the flames of the rumours.

Rukialkotta was first developed in the late 620s by a team of academics at the Gruenberg State Linguistic Institute, led by Dr. Andreg Parpel. The development of an entirely synthetic language was initially intended more as a game than anything else, with no practical applications intended. However, the new language became popular with students at the nearby University of Flurthwel, many of whom found existence in the diverse, multi-cultural capital a shock compared to their old lives rooted to tribal traditions. When a small business group approached Parpel, asking if they could run seminar courses in basic Rukialkotta, he began to appreciate that his project had potential far beyond the interests of linguistic scholars.

A period of intense activity followed, the team regrouping to work on refining the language, and completing three vast publications: a dictionary; a textbook of grammar and syntax; and a full translation of Wurz Minar Haschbarwein ('Where We Sleep'), one of the most famous epic poems in the history of Gruenberger literature, to aid with pronunciation. This lasted three years, and involved a substantial amount of private investment. The Court at this point remained suspicious, but allowed the project to continue.

Rukialkotta and bastardisations thereof with traditional tribal tongues became popular in the major cities of the Aszumba, although its progress west was slower, and its take-up in the Gelzien Nub practically non-existent. Few, if any, foreigners had chosen the language by Parpel's death in The 636th Year. But by The 639th Year, the Court had decided to acknowledge Rukialkotta as an official language. Excitingly for linguists, not only was this an entirely artificial system, but it was spreading, with parents increasingly encouraging bilingualism in their children, while so many older languages died.

In The 644th Year, Polrak I became the first Woltzten to learn Rukialkotta (although his grasp of it was always shaky, and his pronunciation abysmal), and within three years the first state document (a summary of the damage to the sardine population of the Bay of Abzhan-Rejak caused by a major chemical leak from a freight tanker) to be issued in Rukialkotta was published.

Today, Rukialkotta is spoken by around 60% of the population as a first language, and an estimated 75% of the adult population are fluent in Rukialkotta. The blip in the statistic is the Gelzien Nub, where resistance to 'Rukialkottisation' has been more forceful. All state documents are released in Rukialkotta, over 80% of all printed media is published in it, and all lessons in all educational establishments from primary schools through to graduate colleges are taught in it. Rukialkotta looks set to spread further and wider, and the recent decision by over 200 overseas diplomats, businessmen and tourists to take part in a week-long crash course run by the GSLI has lent hope to the idea of it becoming genuinely exportable.