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Dialect: A Game About Language and How it Dies
Language tells a story. Woven into the way we speak, we reveal what we care about, where we come from, and who we are.
Dialect is a game about an isolated community, their language, and what it means for that language to be lost. In this game, you’ll tell the story of the Isolation by building their language. New words will come from the fundamental aspects of the who they are, what they believe in, and how they respond to a changing world.
Some Isolations will be voluntary, others not. Some will choose to barricade themselves against an unforgiving world while others lie stranded and adrift from home. On their own, one thing is certain—these people will be left to simmer in what makes them special. They will change because of it. You will decide what they become.
Players take away both the story they’ve told and the dialect they’ve built together.
Dialect is a game about an isolated community, their language, and what it means for that language to be lost. In this game, you’ll tell the story of the Isolation by building their language. New words will come from the fundamental aspects of the who they are, what they believe in, and how they respond to a changing world.
Some Isolations will be voluntary, others not. Some will choose to barricade themselves against an unforgiving world while others lie stranded and adrift from home. On their own, one thing is certain—these people will be left to simmer in what makes them special. They will change because of it. You will decide what they become.
Players take away both the story they’ve told and the dialect they’ve built together.
150 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
10 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 13, 2023
taking applications to play this with me 🤲
January 18, 2021
This is the most beautiful rulebook I've ever held. Gorgeous illustrations, interesting quotes, and fascinating meta-material on constructing and conserving languages.
Also: this is a game that is 70+% shared worldbuilding through inventing words (yes, this is a collaborative wordplay game). (There's also bit of roleplaying to add spice to the storytelling, but, like... worldbuilding game! Through words! Such a great conceit!)
Also: this is a game that is 70+% shared worldbuilding through inventing words (yes, this is a collaborative wordplay game). (There's also bit of roleplaying to add spice to the storytelling, but, like... worldbuilding game! Through words! Such a great conceit!)
November 29, 2025
Nonostante la prima caratteristica del gioco che salta all'occhio sia il suo offrire meccaniche per creare linguaggi di comunità fittizie, l'esperienza offre anche molto altro.
Si creano comunità "isolate" assieme rispondendo alle domande degli scenari e discutendo del resto. Un piccolo processo di worldbuilding cooperativo guidato e con molte idee di partenza particolari offerte già dal manuale (online se ne trovano altre "amatoriali".
Tre aspetti da decidere assieme e poi una domanda a testa alla quale rispondere. Questo è quanto, ma all'atto pratico basta e avanza e porta a comunità spesso più vive di quelle con centinaia di pagine nei moduli avventura di altri giochi di ruolo. Ci sarà poi il resto della partita per esplorare meglio i piccoli mondi creati.
Dialect è stato il gioco di ruolo che mi ha spinto ad avere fra i miei generi preferiti quelli dove si creano assieme mondi e comunità. Non dimenticherò mai questa cosa.
Ogni comunità è destinata a perdere il suo stato di "isolamento". Non deve per forza morire nel senso catastrofico del termine, ma la fine dell'isolamento è certa, che sia per mescolanza con nuovi individui o per una diaspora o altro ancora. A volte, nei finali più tragici, proprio la morte di tutti i suoi componenti.
Quello che si vive giocando, è l'evoluzione della comunità nelle sue ultime fasi.
Mostrando i mutamenti nei modi di dire e nelle relazioni dei Personaggi Giocanti, il gioco fa sentire tutto il peso del tempo che scorre e del mondo che cambia. Alla fine, quando ciascun giocatore deve scegliere l'epilogo per il proprio PG e ripensa agli eventi che ha attraversato, sembra a volte di star decidendo il finale di un romanzo di formazione, di quelli lunghissimi e pieni di passaggi, iniziati con un protagonista bambino e finiti con un adulto più che maturato.
Il terzo aspetto del gioco (hohoho, recensione in tre aspetti, rimandone alle regole, hohoho) è quello della lingua. Le parole (o, come spesso ricorda il manuale, i sintagmi) creati non sono mai pensati dal nulla ma sempre connessi alla vita della comunità e alle emozioni dei suoi membri. Anche qui, un qualcosa di semplice che però al tavolo offre tanto.
Un masterless per 1-shot che non smetto mai di suggerire. Facile e veloce da intavolare (è anche uno di quelli che non richiedono preparazione) e molto flessibile nelle ambientazioni e nei toni. Adatto soprattutto a chi vuole esplorare una comunità ideata al momento con gli altri ed a giocare storie potenzialmente molto introspettive.
Si creano comunità "isolate" assieme rispondendo alle domande degli scenari e discutendo del resto. Un piccolo processo di worldbuilding cooperativo guidato e con molte idee di partenza particolari offerte già dal manuale (online se ne trovano altre "amatoriali".
Tre aspetti da decidere assieme e poi una domanda a testa alla quale rispondere. Questo è quanto, ma all'atto pratico basta e avanza e porta a comunità spesso più vive di quelle con centinaia di pagine nei moduli avventura di altri giochi di ruolo. Ci sarà poi il resto della partita per esplorare meglio i piccoli mondi creati.
Dialect è stato il gioco di ruolo che mi ha spinto ad avere fra i miei generi preferiti quelli dove si creano assieme mondi e comunità. Non dimenticherò mai questa cosa.
Ogni comunità è destinata a perdere il suo stato di "isolamento". Non deve per forza morire nel senso catastrofico del termine, ma la fine dell'isolamento è certa, che sia per mescolanza con nuovi individui o per una diaspora o altro ancora. A volte, nei finali più tragici, proprio la morte di tutti i suoi componenti.
Quello che si vive giocando, è l'evoluzione della comunità nelle sue ultime fasi.
Mostrando i mutamenti nei modi di dire e nelle relazioni dei Personaggi Giocanti, il gioco fa sentire tutto il peso del tempo che scorre e del mondo che cambia. Alla fine, quando ciascun giocatore deve scegliere l'epilogo per il proprio PG e ripensa agli eventi che ha attraversato, sembra a volte di star decidendo il finale di un romanzo di formazione, di quelli lunghissimi e pieni di passaggi, iniziati con un protagonista bambino e finiti con un adulto più che maturato.
Il terzo aspetto del gioco (hohoho, recensione in tre aspetti, rimandone alle regole, hohoho) è quello della lingua. Le parole (o, come spesso ricorda il manuale, i sintagmi) creati non sono mai pensati dal nulla ma sempre connessi alla vita della comunità e alle emozioni dei suoi membri. Anche qui, un qualcosa di semplice che però al tavolo offre tanto.
Un masterless per 1-shot che non smetto mai di suggerire. Facile e veloce da intavolare (è anche uno di quelli che non richiedono preparazione) e molto flessibile nelle ambientazioni e nei toni. Adatto soprattutto a chi vuole esplorare una comunità ideata al momento con gli altri ed a giocare storie potenzialmente molto introspettive.
November 30, 2023
Even if you don't ever get a game of dialect to happen, the guidebook is very much worth a read.
The example of play is used to demonstrate each part of the game, and has its own story that is engaging in its own right.
The last two chapters are also very impressive, chapter 4 being about creating language written by David J. Peterson, and chapter 5 id a focus on how we can work towrds sustaining languages by Steven Bird.
The example of play is used to demonstrate each part of the game, and has its own story that is engaging in its own right.
The last two chapters are also very impressive, chapter 4 being about creating language written by David J. Peterson, and chapter 5 id a focus on how we can work towrds sustaining languages by Steven Bird.
December 25, 2024
This is a sourcebook for a sort-of-RPG, but not really as the focus is on creating a language rather than playing a character. It's certainly a very interesting idea and I'm curious to see how it will work when played. The chapters by David Petersen and Steven Bird didn't do much for me as a linguist with a PhD, but I suppose for non-linguists it adds a lot of context.
January 2, 2019
This game is so cool !! I'm pleasantly surprised that there was already a Goodreads entry for the book, though.
Anyway, I love Dialect so much. I found it through a Facebook ad while skyping a friend, who bought it for me for Christmas immediately. I've since played it with my parents, as well as my two best friends. My two best friends and I are all actors. The friend who bought the game for me is a writer (as am I), and I am a linguistics enthusiast. It's certainly a fun group to play with !
But the best part is that my parents loved it too. We created a world of robots set to work dismantling a reformed supercontinent that ruined the weather and rendered the planet unlivable for humans. And my monolingual, sci-fi-wary parents loved it !! The game was very well designed and is very accessible, even without much background in language, roleplaying, or world building (though that makes it more interesting).
All you need to play is an interest in any of the above, and the patience to sit in a circle and talk to other people for a three or four hours :D
Anyway, I love Dialect so much. I found it through a Facebook ad while skyping a friend, who bought it for me for Christmas immediately. I've since played it with my parents, as well as my two best friends. My two best friends and I are all actors. The friend who bought the game for me is a writer (as am I), and I am a linguistics enthusiast. It's certainly a fun group to play with !
But the best part is that my parents loved it too. We created a world of robots set to work dismantling a reformed supercontinent that ruined the weather and rendered the planet unlivable for humans. And my monolingual, sci-fi-wary parents loved it !! The game was very well designed and is very accessible, even without much background in language, roleplaying, or world building (though that makes it more interesting).
All you need to play is an interest in any of the above, and the patience to sit in a circle and talk to other people for a three or four hours :D
June 27, 2024
Sometimes games reach for higher perches than most. Dialect is one of those games.
It's a tabletop roleplaying but your goal isn't to slay orcs or find treasure. You have a character but they're more of a vehicle for you explore the real main character: The language you are creating.
Imagine an isolated settlement of humans. Through disaster or choice they have limited or no contact with other human settlements. They face very specific conditions that define their existence. What would happen to their language? They are in unique circumstances and so unique words and phrases would develop to allow them to describe it.
Over the years this language would evolve and with enough time might become a full blown dialect of the parent language.
Regrettably, the isolation's days are numbered. Events are conspiring to force them back into contact with the outside world. This process is likely to be violent and will result in the destruction of their unique culture. Perhaps this unique culture leaves an indelible mark on its conqueror and the new language permeates that of the oppressor or perhaps it just gets consumed and destroyed.
So, Dialect is about some heavy shit. And it doesn't do this idly. The last section in the book is a primer on how to help preserve so-called dying languages and just, in general, how to be a better world citizen. There's tips on how to memorize the way to properly pronounce someone's name. The benefits of greeting someone in their own language. And that you should talk to them before you do that to make sure they would actually like that (being singled out as a non-English speaker in places like, say, the US can be very othering and potentially put a target on the back of someone).
Dialect is fascinating in how well considered it is for the very lofty purpose it serves. It's also a really well designed story game with a built-in arc that sets the over-all plot but leaves more than enough wiggle room in the specifics to still be fun and exciting. Just cause you're doomed doesn't mean you can't make a memorable exit or throw a light in to the future.
It's a tabletop roleplaying but your goal isn't to slay orcs or find treasure. You have a character but they're more of a vehicle for you explore the real main character: The language you are creating.
Imagine an isolated settlement of humans. Through disaster or choice they have limited or no contact with other human settlements. They face very specific conditions that define their existence. What would happen to their language? They are in unique circumstances and so unique words and phrases would develop to allow them to describe it.
Over the years this language would evolve and with enough time might become a full blown dialect of the parent language.
Regrettably, the isolation's days are numbered. Events are conspiring to force them back into contact with the outside world. This process is likely to be violent and will result in the destruction of their unique culture. Perhaps this unique culture leaves an indelible mark on its conqueror and the new language permeates that of the oppressor or perhaps it just gets consumed and destroyed.
So, Dialect is about some heavy shit. And it doesn't do this idly. The last section in the book is a primer on how to help preserve so-called dying languages and just, in general, how to be a better world citizen. There's tips on how to memorize the way to properly pronounce someone's name. The benefits of greeting someone in their own language. And that you should talk to them before you do that to make sure they would actually like that (being singled out as a non-English speaker in places like, say, the US can be very othering and potentially put a target on the back of someone).
Dialect is fascinating in how well considered it is for the very lofty purpose it serves. It's also a really well designed story game with a built-in arc that sets the over-all plot but leaves more than enough wiggle room in the specifics to still be fun and exciting. Just cause you're doomed doesn't mean you can't make a memorable exit or throw a light in to the future.
August 1, 2025
Dialect is a role-playing game about an isolated group that begins to create its own dialect, and therefore, its own culture with its particular way of thinking, acting, and idiosyncrasies.
This role-playing game has no game master and no random elements of any kind, although there are characters who will play out various scenes during the game. During these scenes, players will have to use the new word that has been invented, as well as as many of the othecreatedwords as possible.
It is a deeply innovative game that focuses on an aspect that is often ignored in role-playing games, especially those of a fantasy nature. It is, therefore, a wonderful opportunity for exploration, discovery and learning.
The book guides us through the rules in a simple way with game examples, continuous explanations and explanatory drawings, making it very easy to understand how to play. It also presents a whopping 16 ready-to-play scenarios, as well as tips on creating your own scenarios.
Finally, the game presents a series of ideas, activities and games to help you delve deeper into the languages spoken by people around you or in your community, almost turning it into an activist pamphlet for linguistic diversity.
Although I haven't had the opportunity to try it yet, I plan to do so in the coming weeks and can only recommend the book for its exceptional value as a game, as a tool for reflection and as an innovative artefact in the history of role-playing games.
This role-playing game has no game master and no random elements of any kind, although there are characters who will play out various scenes during the game. During these scenes, players will have to use the new word that has been invented, as well as as many of the othecreatedwords as possible.
It is a deeply innovative game that focuses on an aspect that is often ignored in role-playing games, especially those of a fantasy nature. It is, therefore, a wonderful opportunity for exploration, discovery and learning.
The book guides us through the rules in a simple way with game examples, continuous explanations and explanatory drawings, making it very easy to understand how to play. It also presents a whopping 16 ready-to-play scenarios, as well as tips on creating your own scenarios.
Finally, the game presents a series of ideas, activities and games to help you delve deeper into the languages spoken by people around you or in your community, almost turning it into an activist pamphlet for linguistic diversity.
Although I haven't had the opportunity to try it yet, I plan to do so in the coming weeks and can only recommend the book for its exceptional value as a game, as a tool for reflection and as an innovative artefact in the history of role-playing games.
September 12, 2025
Dialect is a beautiful game that takes roughly 3 hours to play. On top of having just incredible artwork and themes throughout, the gameplay flow and provided encounters really sell the idea that you're developing a language all your own, and that when the game is done, all you have left are the memories. As a result, it creates an instant bond with those you play with.
The rules are simple and straightforward, and while there is a "Game Master", they are more so relegated to someone who knows the rules best, and who can keep things moving, making it so everyone at the table gets to play and feel equal.
The provided scenarios offer a lot of flexibility and unique experiences with different moods to reflect your table's desired gameplay experience, and they provide a framework for creating your own encounters, which I've used to create a scenario that allowed my players to create a history and world preceding a full on Dungeons and Dragons campaign: a world they were absolutely a part of building.
I love this game, and I don't get to play it often enough. Highly recommend for 4-5 players. 3 is possible, but makes the game much shorter, and 6 is possible, but makes it harder to ensure everyone gets a chance to roleplay and feel a part of the game.
The rules are simple and straightforward, and while there is a "Game Master", they are more so relegated to someone who knows the rules best, and who can keep things moving, making it so everyone at the table gets to play and feel equal.
The provided scenarios offer a lot of flexibility and unique experiences with different moods to reflect your table's desired gameplay experience, and they provide a framework for creating your own encounters, which I've used to create a scenario that allowed my players to create a history and world preceding a full on Dungeons and Dragons campaign: a world they were absolutely a part of building.
I love this game, and I don't get to play it often enough. Highly recommend for 4-5 players. 3 is possible, but makes the game much shorter, and 6 is possible, but makes it harder to ensure everyone gets a chance to roleplay and feel a part of the game.
January 15, 2021
Reading this book alone was amazing experience. I can't wait to play this game and incorporate it into my campaigns. Much thought and heart was put into design of the game, you can feel beauty of language evolution and sadness of language loss. I feel that I learned a lot, not only about how to play new original game more in (new) tradition of Microscope and The Quiet Year, but also something about society and language. Big recommendation for everybody.
November 19, 2024
This book is the guide to a role-playing game my game group is doing. You build a language in an isolation community. Then you evolve it, then it dies. You then do a post mortem on what is left behind.
My game group is erudite and curious. I think this will be a fun and compelling activity. I will reread the guide at least once more to prepare.
A wonderful work which brings the marginalized and forgotten to the forefront.
My game group is erudite and curious. I think this will be a fun and compelling activity. I will reread the guide at least once more to prepare.
A wonderful work which brings the marginalized and forgotten to the forefront.
March 12, 2022
The how-to for a very clever and poignant RPG, centered around the intersection of language and culture. The book and cards have some truly beautiful artwork, and I appreciate the emphasis towards preserving linguistic diversity and ideas of concrete action steps we can take once the game itself is over. Excited to play this in a group once I get the chance.
May 21, 2019
Beautiful concept, executed with elegance. The part about coming up with new words is a bit overkill, and a couple of backdrops feel more like a statement than a playable thing, but overall Dialect is excellent.
February 4, 2019
Now to play it!
December 3, 2019
Normally wouldn't do an update on a game rulebook... But this thing is a work of art and beautifully written.
May 17, 2020
I can't wait to play this once quarantine is over. Ironic to have to wait to end isolation to play an Isolation.
Read
September 19, 2020Just finished reading all the rules and supplemental reading and am super hyped to try playing the game!
January 24, 2021
Pretty well organized information...would have appreciated more visuals of game board during play (visual learner here) and I'm super excited to gather my crew for a game!
February 13, 2021
Once of the cogent, clearest rulebooks I've ever read, and the layout is fantastic!
September 4, 2021
Rulebook, idk how my rating applies yet. Seems like a good game, with some useful stuff about endangered languages at the end.
September 4, 2022
Incredibly interesting. I can't wait to actually play the game this book acts as an instruction manual for.
March 7, 2024
It's a wonderful and very creative game.
September 23, 2024
Wow very excited to play this game. I can’t believe that it was a literal rule “book”. Brilliantly described and just a beautiful physical book.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews