It's a joke wryly comparing its uncommon origins with its uncommon design.

Well, trees have roots in competing norse mythologies. And dictionaries might be seen as elitist in societies with high illiteracy rates.

There's not really anything uncommon about a programming language having its origins in academia, a university being Catholic, or a university being in Brazil (which is the world's 7th most populous country). So I also don't really get this.

Yep, sounded like papal bull

It sounds kind of like something Scott Alexander would write.

There's no explanation.

Res ipsa loquitur

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lua_(programming_language)#:....