Language is an essential part of human culture and history, and studying ancient languages can provide valuable insights into ways in life of ancient societies. The world's most ancient languages have evolved over time, and many have left an indelible mark on modern society. In this article, we'll explore some of the most ancient languages that have played a significant role in shaping human history.

 
1. Sumerian

One of the earliest known written languages is Sumerian, which dates back to around 3200 BCE. Sumerian was spoken in Mesopotamia, which is now modern-day Iraq. It is considered the earliest known written language and was used for religious, administrative, and literary purposes. The Sumerians developed a complex system of writing using cuneiform script, which was written on clay tablets.

2. Akkadian

Akkadian is an ancient language that was spoken in Mesopotamia from around 2400 BCE. It was the official language of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires and was used for administrative, legal, and literary purposes. Akkadian was written in cuneiform script and is known for its epic literature, including the Epic of Gilgamesh.


3. Egyptian

Another ancient language is Egyptian, which dates back to around 3000 BCE. Egyptian was used for writing hieroglyphics, which were used for religious texts, inscriptions, and monumental architecture. The hieroglyphics were also used for writing on papyrus, a plant-based paper-like material that was used for documents and other written materials.

4. Hittite

Hittite refers to an ancient language that was spoken in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) around 1600 BCE. It was written in cuneiform and is known for its legal and religious texts. The Hittites were a powerful civilization in the ancient Near East and were known for their use of iron weapons and chariots.

5. Hebrew

Hebrew is a Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Israel and is still used today as the language of the Jewish religion. It dates back to at least 1000 BCE and was used for religious texts and everyday communication. Hebrew is known for its use in the Old Testament of the Bible.

6. Sanskrit

Sanskrit is an ancient language of India, with roots dating back to around 1500 BCE. It was used for religious texts, poetry, and philosophy and is still studied today. Sanskrit is known for its complex grammar and its use in the Vedas, ancient Hindu texts that form the basis of Hinduism.

7. Chinese

Chinese is another ancient language with a long history, with written characters dating back to around 1200 BCE. The earliest form of the language is known as the oracle bone script and was used for divination purposes. Chinese has had a significant influence on East Asian culture and is still spoken by millions of people today.

8. Phoenician

Phoenician is an ancient language that was spoken in the Mediterranean region from around 1200 BCE. It was a language of trade and commerce, and the Phoenicians were known for their seafaring and mercantile activities. The Phoenician script was one of the first alphabets, with symbols representing sounds rather than words or concepts. This script later evolved into the Greek and Latin alphabets, which are still used today.


9. Aramaic

Aramaic, an ancient language that was spoken in the Middle East from around the 10th century BCE to the 5th century CE has been a staple whenever mentioning ancient languages. It was used as a lingua franca in the Persian Empire and was also the language spoken by Jesus Christ. Aramaic is known for its use in religious texts such as the Talmud and parts of the Bible.

 
10. Gothic

When you speak of Gothic, you speak of an ancient Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths in the 4th century CE. It is known for its use in the Bible translation known as the Gothic Bible, which is the earliest known translation of the Bible into a Germanic language. Gothic is also known for its complex grammar and rich vocabulary and has had a significant influence on the development of modern Germanic languages, such as German and English.

 
In conclusion, Ancient languages offer a fascinating glimpse into the past, helping us to understand the development of human language, culture, and society. From the earliest known written language of Sumerian to the complex grammar and rich vocabulary of Gothic, each ancient language has played a unique role in shaping human history. Studying these languages can help us gain a better appreciation of the diversity and complexity of human language and the societies that created them.

https://financequickfix.com/oldest-languages-in-the-world/.

Good

Dey play just dey play,igbo and hausa language are over 5000 years old.

Rubbish
Yoruba is the oldest language in the world still spoken today.

ARABIC IS DEFINITELY ONE

motayoayinde:
ARABIC IS DEFINITELY ONE

I don't think so, Arabic isn't as old as Persian which is the language spoken in Iran.

motayoayinde:
ARABIC IS DEFINITELY ONE

Arabic language ke for where Iran people language called Persian is still alive.

No ijaw or Hausa?

mysticwarrior:
I don't think so, Arabic isn't as old as Persian which is that language spoken in Iran.

DIDN'T COMPARE ARABIC WITH PERSIAN.
JUST MAKING A CASE FOR ARABIC.

BY THE WAY, WHY AREN'T BOTH ON THE LIST BUT GOTHIC WHICH IS MUCH YOUNGER IS?

seunny4lif:

Arabic language ke for where Iran people language called Persian is still alive.

DIDN'T SAY PERSIAN ISN'T OLD AND ALIVE.

JUST TALKING ABOUT ARABIC.

seunny4lif:
Rubbish
Yoruba is the oldest language in the world still spoken today.

Yoruba isn't a documented language so you can't prove it's age

Lies.
Who told you that Nigerian languages such as Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba are not older ?
Who to told you Cameroon's Bamileke is not older ?
Who told you that Ghana's Ashanti is not older?
Who told you that Lingala in the DRCongo is not older ?
Who told you that Côte d'Ivoire 's Wê or Guro is not older ?
Who told you that Mali's Bambara is not older ?
The list goes on.

panafrican:
Lies.
Who told you that Nigerian languages such as Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba are not older ?
Who to told you Cameroon's Bamileke is not older ?
Who told you that Ghana's Ashanti is not older?
Who told you that Lingala in the DRCongo is not older ?
Who told you that Côte d'Ivoire 's Wê or Guro is not older ?
Who told you that Mali's Bambara is not older ?
The list goes on.

those languages you mentioned do not have any written records, if you had mentioned the Numbian language and Amharic which is the language of the Ethiopians it would have been more understandable.

Black Africans are the first and original people to walk the earth, and have been here 200,000 years before the other races and somehow none of the oldest languages here are African? Whites always be minimizing us up and down

Life started in Africa, yet most of the languages listed aren't from the continent.

I guess early Africans were deaf and dumb or communicated via signs.

The more you swallow lies from the west, the more they take you all for fools.

somehow:
Life started in Africa, yet most of the languages listed aren't from the continent.

I guess early Africans were deaf and dumb or communicated via signs.

The more you swallow lies from the west, the more they take you all for fools.

Mayans have older written languages sef

This article is not factual

michlins:
Mayans have older written languages sef

This article is not factual

One of their so called "historical" books said Mungo Park discovered river Niger.

If we Africans can be teaching our future generations such lies, then who to blame?

mysticwarrior:
those languages you mentioned do not have any written records, if you had mentioned the Numbian language and Amharic which is the language of the Ethiopians it would have been more understandable.

Not true.
Moreover bot having written records does not mean not having existed.

The same igbo language that is full of Yoruba words. You don't even have names for basic things like the food you like to eat as Yoruba and Hausa do. Yoruba language is so old, we have ancient and modern words. Odu Ifa alone is over a thousand years old.

kollinzgee:
Dey play just dey play,igbo and hausa language are over 5000 years old.

Yoruba

Fake list of it doesn’t contain African languages, the indigenous Mayans, the Aztecs.

sunboy:
Fake list of it doesn’t contain African languages, the indigenous Mayans, the Aztecs.

you could have also added guarani and quechua to your suggestion.