The First and Oldest Language in the World
The First and Oldest Language in the World
Introduction
Determining the first and oldest language in the world is one of the most fascinating and debated questions in linguistics, history, and archaeology. Languages evolved thousands of years ago, long before written records, making it difficult to identify a single “first” language. However, through archaeological findings and linguistic studies, scholars have identified several ancient languages that are considered among the oldest known to humanity.
1. Sumerian — The Oldest Written Language
Sumerian is widely regarded as the oldest known written language in human history.
Origin: Ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq)
Time Period: Around 3100 BCE
Script: Cuneiform (wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets)
Sumerian was used by the Sumerians for religious texts, administrative records, and literature — such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world’s earliest known literary works. Although Sumerian eventually ceased to be a spoken language around 2000 BCE, it continued to be used in written form for centuries as a scholarly and religious language.
2. Egyptian — The Language of the Pharaohs
Ancient Egyptian civilisation developed around 3000 BCE, around the same time as the Sumerian civilisation.
Script: Hieroglyphs (pictorial writing system)
Region: Nile Valley, Egypt
It evolved into later forms — Coptic, the last stage of the Egyptian language, is still used today in the liturgy of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Egyptian language provides immense insight into ancient civilisation, culture, and religion.
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3. Akkadian — The Language of Babylon and Assyria
Akkadian emerged after Sumerian and also used the cuneiform script.
Origin: Mesopotamia
Time Period: Around 2800 BCE
It became the dominant language of the Babylonian and Assyrian empires and was spoken across a vast region of the ancient Near East. Akkadian is divided into two main dialects: Babylonian and Assyrian.
4. Tamil — The Oldest Living Language
Tamil, part of the Dravidian language family, is often regarded as one of the oldest living languages in the world.
Origin: Southern India
Estimated Age: Over 5000 years old (dating back to at least 2500 BCE)
Still Spoken: Yes, by over 80 million people today
Tamil has a rich literary tradition that dates back over 2,000 years. Its earliest texts, known as Sangam literature, showcase the depth of its cultural and linguistic heritage. Unlike Sumerian or Egyptian, Tamil continues to be a thriving spoken and written language — a living bridge between the ancient and modern worlds.
5. Sanskrit — The Classical Language of India
Sanskrit emerged around 1500 BCE and is one of the oldest Indo-European languages.
Region: Indian subcontinent
Script: Devanagari (in modern times)
Sanskrit is the language of ancient Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita. It heavily influenced many modern languages such as Hindi, Bengali, and Nepali. Its grammar, documented by the scholar Pāṇini, is considered one of the most sophisticated linguistic systems ever created.
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6. Chinese — The World’s Longest Continuous Language
Old Chinese (Archaic Chinese) has roots dating back to 1250 BCE, as seen in oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty.
Region: China
Script: Chinese characters (logographic)
While the spoken form of Chinese evolved over thousands of years into Mandarin and other dialects, the writing system has maintained a remarkable degree of continuity. This makes Chinese one of the oldest continuous languages still in use.
7. Hebrew — The Ancient Semitic Tongue
Hebrew originated around 1000 BCE and is closely related to other Semitic languages like Aramaic and Phoenician.
It was the language of ancient Israel and the Old Testament (Tanakh). Although it had ceased being a spoken language for centuries, it was revived in the 19th and 20th centuries and is now the official language of Israel.
8. Greek — The Foundation of Western Civilisation
Ancient Greek dates back to around 1450 BCE (Mycenaean Greek).
It gave rise to an extraordinary literary and philosophical tradition, including the works of Homer, Plato, and Aristotle. Modern Greek, still spoken today, is a direct descendant of this ancient tongue.
9. Aramaic — The Language of Empires and Prophets
Aramaic appeared around 1200 BCE and became the lingua franca of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires.
It was widely spoken across the Middle East and is believed to have been the language spoken by Jesus (Isa) عليه السلام. Although now spoken by only small communities, Aramaic still survives today in parts of Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon.
10. Latin — The Language of Rome
Latin developed around 700 BCE in ancient Italy and became the language of the Roman Empire.
It evolved into the Romance languages — Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. Though not a native language anymore, Latin is still used in Catholic liturgy, scientific nomenclature, and academic contexts.
Which Language Was Truly the First?
Since spoken language predates written history by tens of thousands of years, we can’t pinpoint a single “first” language. However, Sumerian is considered the oldest known written language, while Tamil and Chinese are often cited as the oldest continuously spoken languages.
Summary Table of the Oldest Languages
Final Thoughts
Language is the heart of human civilisation — the bridge that connects our past to our present. While Sumerian holds the title of the first recorded language, Tamil, Chinese, and Sanskrit remain living testaments to our ancient linguistic heritage. These languages remind us that human expression, thought, and creativity have been thriving since the dawn of time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is considered the first language in human history?
Ans. The Sumerian language is widely recognised as the first written language in recorded history, dating back to around 3100 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia. However, the first spoken language remains unknown since speech predates writing by tens of thousands of years.
Q2. Which is the oldest living language still spoken today?
Ans. Tamil is often regarded as one of the oldest living languages in the world. It has been spoken continuously for over 5,000 years and is still used by millions of people across India, Sri Lanka, and other parts of the world.
Q3. Is Sanskrit older than Tamil?
Ans. Sanskrit is extremely ancient and dates back to around 1500 BCE, but Tamil is believed to predate Sanskrit by several centuries. Tamil has a continuous spoken and written tradition, whereas Sanskrit is now primarily used in religious and scholarly contexts.
Q4. Which ancient languages are no longer spoken?
Ans. Languages such as Sumerian, Akkadian, Ancient Egyptian, and Latin are no longer spoken as native languages. However, their influence lives on in modern languages, scripts, and religious or academic studies.
Q5. What is the oldest written text ever discovered?
Ans. The Kish Tablet from Mesopotamia, written in Sumerian cuneiform around 3500 BCE, is considered one of the oldest known pieces of writing in the world. It marks the earliest evidence of human written communication.
