If language separates humans from apes, then the world’s oldest languages are the ones that are most similar to what we originally spoke over two million years ago when humans first began to stand upright, when their brains got enormous, and when their hands became more dexterous. The earliest form of spoken language was only produced by humans 50,000 years ago. And according to scholars, writing was only discovered by mankind 6,000 years ago.
There are currently over 7,000 languages spoken around the world, many of which are also among the oldest. Fewer than 100,000 individuals speak several of the languages that are in use; just 200 of these tongues are spoken by over a million people. The majority of languages used now are also several centuries old. Many of the languages spoken today are descendants of extinct or evolving languages. Even the English of today is different from that of the Middle Ages. With only five centuries under its belt, Modern English is actually one of the more recent languages.
In the following post, we will go through the top 10 oldest languages in the world.
Top 10 Oldest Languages in the World
1. Chinese (6,000 years old)
The world’s first written language was Chinese, which still exists today. The Shang dynasty’s oracle bones, which are animal bones with ancient writing, have been found. Consequently, the first recorded use of writing dates back roughly 3,600 years. Mandarin or Putonghua, the most widely used version of Chinese, is spoken in China’s northern, central, and southern provinces. Definitely one of the oldest languages in the world.
2. Sanskrit (4,000 years old)
Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is widely used in Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism; its influences can be found in literature, theater, science, and religious and philosophical writings. Sacred classics like the “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana” were all composed in Sanskrit, as is the Hindu literature Bhagavad Gita. Another excellent illustration of how Sanksrit impacted the language landscape of antiquity is the “Upanishad”. This literary collection includes Hindu scriptures that explain the tenets of the faith. This makes it one of the oldest languages in the world.
3. Egyptian (4,000 years old)
Ancient Egyptian, a branch of the Egyptian language, has ties to Semitic languages and was born in the Nile Valley of Africa’s northeast. It experienced several changes, including Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian, and Late Egyptian before reaching its final stage, the Coptic alphabet. The language developed, and as a result, it was used more often in literary work, religious rites, and aristocratic circles as well as by everyone else. The walls of tombs and temples are decorated with the hieroglyphic characters used to write the Egyptian language, which offers insights into the religion, history, and daily life of ancient Egypt.
4. Sumerian (3,200 years old)
Sumerian is one of the oldest languages to have words. The script used to write it was cuneiform. Cuneiform, a writing system different from the alphabet, is regarded as the most significant contribution made by the Sumerians. It spells words by splitting them into syllables using 600 to 1,000 letters imprinted on clay. Sumerian was a popular tongue in ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), but it fell out of use. Many believe that a drought wiped off the language and many of its speakers.
5. Hebrew (3,000 years old)
Hebrew is one of the oldest languages in the world and is a prehistoric Semitic language with biblical roots. The language, historically utilized for sacred reasons by the first Jews, was almost entirely lost during the Holocaust but underwent a comeback in the late 19th century. The majority of Israelis teach and speak modern Hebrew, which has now been designated as the country’s official language. The language is extensively spoken outside of Israel as a result of centuries of Jewish emigration and diaspora.
6. Greek (3,000 years old)
One of the earliest tongues in existence, Greek has been spoken for over three millennia. The language of mathematicians, philosophers, and playwrights, ancient Greek was created during the classical era. In the 19th century, Modern Greek thereafter took over as the nation’s official tongue. Greek is now the primary language of 13 million people and is utilized in government, business, and education. It is also spoken by a large proportion of the country’s population.
7. Farsi (3,000 years old)
Persian, commonly referred to as Farsi, is an Indo-European tongue. The language is still used in Iran, where it was first spoken. Additionally, neighboring nations like Tajikistan and Afghanistan speak Farsi. The literature has been largely acknowledged as one of the four major bodies of world literature, and the language is rich. Many of the more well-known and significant poets, including Rumi, Nizami, and Daqiqi, have had a profound and long-lasting influence on subsequent generations.
8. Tamil (2,300 years old)
The origins of Tamil may be found in the southern region of the Indian subcontinent, making it one of the oldest languages in the world. The first literary writings found by experts date to 350 BC. Poetry, current literature, and classic works are all part of its literary heritage. Tamil has had a significant influence on a wide range of fields, including art, culture, and academics. Tamil has a complex literary heritage that dates back more than two thousand years.
9. Italian (2,100 years old)
The origins of Italian as we know it now can be traced back to Vulgar Latin, a popular dialect of Latin that was used by the populace when the Roman Empire began to fall apart. The language’s early changes sprang from a diversity of regional dialects following the fall of the Empire of Rome. Florence has one particular dialect that stood out. The Tuscan dialect laid the groundwork for the development of the Italian language thanks to its distinctive phonetic and grammatical traits.
10. Korean (2,100 years old)
Over 75 million individuals speak Korean, which is an ethnic isolate that has no historically close cousins (Chinese or Japanese) and has specific linguistic traits. Korean is a member of the Koreanic language family. Old Korean writings from the 4th century, including the Samguk Yusa and the Gwanggaeto Stele, provide the oldest proof of this tongue. The Samguk Yusa, which was put together by Buddhist monk Iryeon and is still regarded as being extremely precious, describes the history and foundation tales of Korea.
Conclusion
And that concludes our list of the top 10 oldest languages in the world. The precise date might not be known because these languages have existed for thousands of years. But each of these languages has a special meaning for the person who speaks it. Despite globalization, starvation, war, colonization, and other calamities, they are still utilized in some capacity today. Some are even doing well. Hopefully, your favorite language is on the list as well!
Also Read:
- 15 Best Road Trips in India
- 17 Most Profitable Wholesale Business Ideas
- 10 Best Account Management Software
Business Talk is a digital business magazine that caters to CEOs, Entrepreneurs, VC, and Corporates. While working with entrepreneurs and business executives, we focus not only on their achievements. Our mission is to shed light on business entities, including their innovations, technological benchmarks, USPs, and milestones/accolades.
