Conlangs & computer games, part 2: The reconstruction of Babel

Sennaar Cover Firkant 1

We just can’t let that tower go, can we? When it comes to linguistics in pop culture, and to conlangs in particular, there’s no getting around the Tower of Babel. Chants of Sennaar is a video game released in 2023 by the French studio Rundisc, and it does not bother with sublety when taking its influence from the story of the Tower of Babel. But the confidence is well-earned, as it puts a spin on the story’s themes and makes great use of the medium’s interactivity and the unique opportunities that conlanging provides.

This is part two of a serial about conlangs – i.e. invented languages – and their role in the world of video games. Part one can be …