When humans started using languages to communicate some 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh years ago it changed the fate of humanity.
Linguists and archaeologists find it challenging to identify the oldest language because many languages have gone extinct or evolved. Further, it is difficult to date spoken languages before they were written.
However, based on the discovery of inscriptions, linguists and archaeologists have been able to trace languages to an approximate time period. Here is a list of some of the oldest known languages.
Vedic Sanskrit
Considered one of the oldest languages, its origins can be traced to 1500-1600 BCE based on the date of composition of the oldest hymns.
Tamil
While Tamil is the oldest living language, it is not the oldest. The language is divided into old, middle and modern Tamil, with written records dating back to about 5th century BCE.
Egyptian
The oldest form of the language, Old Egyptian, features hieroglyphs dating back to 3,400 BCE. Over millennia, it evolved, with Coptic Egyptian still in use today.
Greek
Greek is a loose language comprising several dialects, with the first attested written record dating back to 14th–13th centuries BCE, before reappearing in late 8th century.
Hebrew
Hebrew, with written records dating to the 11th-10th centuries BCE, was spoken from 1200 to 586 BCE before falling into dormancy. It was revived in the 19th century with the rise of the Zionist movement.
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