Language is an essential element for communication, from words scribbled next to each other on paper to form sentences to sounds billions of people let out every day to understand each other. Languages are the pinnacle of civilization and by knowing the stages of each culture’s linguistic evolution, you can get a glimpse of the soul of its society.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the first language humans ever used to communicate among themselves, but historians speculate that it’s between Egyptian, Sumerian, and Akkadian.

Alsun helps you explore the top 10 oldest languages in the world, whether they are written, spoken, dead, or still used to this day.

How do linguists determine a language’s age?

Let’s start with what makes the language old and how linguists determine the language’s age. Languages are called old when they appear in historical writings dating back to very ancient times, whether they are still in use or have not been used yet.

And there are some languages that are divided into ancient and modern, such as Old English that we read in English literature and Modern English used in the current era, official and legal writings, and daily communication between individuals.

Coming to how linguists determine their age, there are two ways; the first one is the historical writings as they are the most obvious evidence for when the people used this language. The second way is using the comparative analysis of the languages to estimate their origin.

Timeline of Some of the World’s Oldest Languages Spoken Today

Here is a simplified chart to show clearly the chronological timeline of the oldest languages in the world.

No.	Language	Origin	Still Spoken Where Today
1	Sumerian	c. 3400 – 3100 BCE	Not spoken conversationally
2	Egyptian	c. 2690 – 2600 BCE	Used in liturgy
3	Akkadian	c. 2600 – 2500 BCE	Extinct
4	Eblaite	c. 2400 BCE	Extinct
5	Elamite	c. 2300 BCE	Extinct
6	Sanskrit	c. 1500 BCE	Limited spoken use, liturgical
7	Greek	c. 1450 BCE	Still spoken in Greece and Cyprus
8	Chinese	c. 1250 BCE	Still spoken in China
9	Aramaic	c. 1100 BCE	Small communities in Middle East
10	Hebrew	c. 1000 BCE	Still spoken
11	Latin	c. 700 BCE	Not spoken natively
12	Persian/ Farsi	c. 525 BCE	Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan
13	Tamil	c. 300 BCE	India, Sri Lanka, global diaspora
14	Basque	1st century BCE	Still spoken
15	Korean	1st century BCE – 1st century CE	Widely Spoken
16	Arabic	1st century CE	Middle East, North Africa
17	Irish/ Gaelic	4th – 5th century CE	Still spoken
18	Georgian	5th century CE	Still spoken
19	Old Javanese	c.743 – 804 CE	Not spoken
20	Lithuanian	c. 1500 CE	Still spoken (One of the most conservative Indo-European languages, preserving ancient features)

The World’s 10 Oldest Languages in the World

ِAfter reviewing the timeline of the world oldest languages and their current status. Let’s delve into the 10 oldest languages in the world in detail, covering their origins, usage, and reasons for their extinction.

• Sumerian (c. 3400 – 3100 BCE)

Iraq, formerly known as Mesopotamia, is the country that has the oldest language in the world. Sumerian is considered the oldest written language in the world, with archeological evidence dating back to 3400 BCE. It was recorded in cuneiform on clay tablets. This language was used in trade, literature, and religion.

The Sumerian language began to decline around 2000 BCE when the Akkadian language started to take its place in daily speeches, but it remained the language of science and religion. One of the main reasons for its disappearance is the small number of native speakers and the dominance of Akkadian politics in these regions.

• Egyptian (c. 2690 – 2600 BCE)

Ancient evidence confirms that the first sentence written in the ancient Egyptian language dates back to 2960 BCE. Ancient Egyptian is characterized by hieroglyphic manuscripts that contain distinctive letters and shapes. The ancient Egyptian language went through several stages (Old, Middle, Late Egyptian, Demotic, then Coptic). It was used in administrative and religious matters.

The ancient Egyptian language gradually began to transform into the Coptic language, which continued until the early Islamic period. The spread of the Arabic language and the cultural and political changes that came with the Islamic rule are among the most important factors in the disappearance of the Egyptian language, but Coptic remains a liturgical language within churches.

• Akkadian (c. 2600 – 2500 BCE)

The Akkadian language is the language that spread in Mesopotamia after the Sumerian language and became the lingua franca of the ancient Near East. The Akkadian language was used in trade, religion, politics, and empire administration, where it was divided into two dialects in the Babylonian Empire and the Assyrian Empire. The language disappeared by around 100 BC, and it was replaced by the Aramaic, which is considered easier and more widespread.

• Eblaite (c. 2400 BCE)

Eblaite was spoken in Ebla, known as Syria. It was used in administration and trade, and was known for the Ebla tablets, but it disappeared with the destruction of Ebla.

• Elamite (c. 2300 BCE)

The origin of Elamite is Elam, now known as southwestern Iran. It was used in administration of the Elamite empire and later in the Persian empire. Elamite is considered as an isolated language, as it has no relatives with another language. It was replaced by Persian language and other dominant languages.

• Sanskrit (c. 1500 BCE)

It is an ancient language in Hindi. It belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It was also a ritual language for Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Sanskrit was used also in classical literature, poetry, and drama, and early works in mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. Today, Sanskrit is not widely used as a native spoken language, but actively used in religious texts.

• Greek (c. 1450 BCE)

The origin of Greek is Mycenaean Greek, and it was used in literature, philosophy, science, and governance. It is the only old language that was still spoken till now. It was extended from ancient texts to the modern stages. It survived because it has a continuous cultural identity, an influence in education, religion, and philosophy, and it has also the ability to adapt across historical periods.

• Chinese (c. 1250 BCE)

Chinese is the oldest language in the world and still spoken today. It has the longest continuous writing traditions, evolving from ancient Chinese to modern varieties, such as Mandarin, Cantonese, and Wu. Chinese is now the most spoken language in the world, with over a billion speakers. It is the language of trade, business, and manufacturing.

• Aramaic (c. 1100 BCE)

Aramaic appeared in ancient Syria, and became a major lingua franca, used across empires including the Persian Empire. It is related to Hebrew and Arabic and used in administration and diplomacy. It is still spoken today but in small communities, as a language of religion and culture.

•  Hebrew (c. 1000 BCE)

Originally, it was used in religious texts only, but it is used as modern spoken language in the 19th – 20th centuries, as a language for education, media, and daily life. Hebrew has over 9 million speakers all over the world.

The Oldest Languages In The World & Where They Are Today

Languages like Sumerian and Egyptian go way back in history, and they are some of the first evidence of recorded human thought. Despite Sumerian and Egyptian languages being the oldest known languages in the world, neither of them survived to this day.

You might confuse Egyptian with the language spoken in Egypt today but they’re two different languages belonging to the same family.

Ancient Egyptian was a language written in hieroglyphics and later in Coptic script while today’s Egyptian derives from Arabic. Sumerian was spoken in Mesopotamia and it is believed to be the oldest written language in the world.

Other languages like Tamil and Hebrew are not necessarily dead languages but they evolved beyond what they used to be and are still used today in certain communities. Languages like Latin and Sanskrit are some of the oldest dead languages in the world but their influence is still very much present in modern languages and religious motifs.

Oldest Languages In The World Still Spoken To This Day

There are some of the oldest languages in the world that have withstood the test of time, prevailing past change and developing into the speech and text we hear and read today.

These languages survived through the resilience of their people and the strength of the cultures they represent, bearing witness to the historical presence of the societies that kept these languages alive.

Tamil

Tamil dates to around 300 BCE, with a rich background in literature and other classical pursuits. It has over 80 million speakers today, concentrated in India, Sri Lanka, and Tamil communities around the world.

Although the language is practically ancient, it hasn’t changed much in regards to grammar and structure since it was first recorded, making it a direct link to ancient Dravidian culture.

Hebrew

Hebrew’s case is special, as it used to be classified as a dead language belonging to Israelites until it was revived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries following the rise of the Zionist movement.

Modern Hebrew still retains some of the characteristics of its original form as a dialect of Canaanite languages to this day, even if it differs in some elements due to the evolution of culture.

Chinese (Mandarin)

Mandarin Chinese is one of the most popular languages in today’s world, originating from Old Chinese which dates back to around 1250 BCE.

It’s impressive how the language maintained its writing system, including its characters, for thousands of years which has given modern readers the chance to understand ancient classics. Spoken Chinese on the other hand has changed to keep up with modern speech habits and characteristics.

Greek

Greek is a language involved in one of the most popular civilizations of all time, from epic literature to philosophical works, Ancient Greek has been an instrumental tool in shaping the thought process of other Western civilizations.

Modern Greek may be a little different from the Ancient version of the language but it is used by over 13 million people today while maintaining some of its vocabulary and grammatical structure.

Persian (Farsi)

Persian, or Farsi, may have changed form over time because of invasions and the effect of time passing, but its modern form is still dependable today in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, each with minor differences due to diverse cultures.

People still eagerly learn Persian to this day to get access to Persian poetry like the works of Rumi and Hafez, highlighting the language’s endurance in the face of global change.

Arabic

Arabic remains largely unchanged from over 1,500 years ago, staying close to its roots as the language of the Quran and unifying Arabs from all over the MENA region. It’s true that each Arab country has its own complex dialect today, but they all maintain the same strong connection to classical Arabic.

Arabic’s influence goes beyond the Quran with significant contributions to science, mathematics, and literature during the Islamic Golden Age.

Basque

The unique fact that you need to know about Basque is that it has no known connection to any other language family. Spoken in the Basque Country of northern Spain and southwestern France, Basque is believed to be a language predating the arrival of known European languages in Europe, which makes it a tool we can use to map out the region’s prehistoric linguistic landscape.

Not only has Basque persevered through the rise and fall of other languages, its use in education and media is being encouraged today.

Georgian

Georgian is spoken by around 4 million people residing in Georgia, and its unique script, Mkhedruli, can be traced back to the 5th century CE.

Georgian has a rich literary background, making it a highly valued and sought-after language to maintain and learn in spite of Georgia’s history of invasions and political changes.

Armenian

Around 6 million people in Armenia speak fluent Armenian, aware of its history that spans over 2,500 years. The Armenian alphabet was created to preserve the heritage of the language, covering two main dialects; Eastern and Western, both of which have their set of linguistic features surviving to this day.

The language is a crucial asset in preserving the Armenian identity in the face of foreign aggression.

Irish Gaelic

Irish Gaelic, or Gaeilge, is one of the oldest languages in Europe, with roots tracing back to the Celtic languages spoken over 2,000 years ago. Although its use declined significantly during centuries of English rule, the Irish have experienced a revival in recent decades.

Today, it is recognized as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland and is taught in schools, with efforts to promote its use in daily life.

Which Language is Oldest In The World Failed To Survive

Languages serve as a way for us to understand the world, so it’s a loss we feel keenly when a language dies out. One of the oldest languages in the world that we lost along the way is Latin, a strong example of a powerful language that lost its presence but not its effect.

Latin was the lingua franca of the Roman Empire and one of the pillars of Western civilization, originating in the region of Latium in central Italy and becoming the most dominant language across vast territories from Britain to North Africa, and from Spain to the Middle East.

However strong the language was, the fall of the Roman Empire brought with it the fragmentation of Latin into different languages: Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. These languages carried the legacy of Latin in law, administration, literature, and religion, even when people stopped using Classical Latin in everyday life.

In addition, Sumerian, the first language in the world, disappeared as a spoken tongue around 2000 BCE, replaced by Akkadian. Another example is Ancient Egyptian, which thrived for over 4,000 years and then gradually gave way to Coptic and later Arabic after the Arab conquest of Egypt in the 7th century CE.

These languages, like Latin, failed to stand in the face of adversity, be it conquests or natural cultural evolution.

Understanding Old Languages Today: Why It Matters

Old languages are the key to ancient civilizations, culture, and literature. It introduces us to the history of ancient humans, how they think and interact, and gives us glimpses into their way of life, including trade, administration, religion, politics, and philosophy.

Without reading these languages and getting to know them, this part of human history would remain obscure, and consequently, many things would remain unexplained.

In addition, studying ancient languages makes it easier to study the developed languages derived from them, such as Spanish and Italian, which evolved from Latin.

And it helps us preserve human heritage. Knowledge of ancient languages helps scientists complete their research in the fields of archeology, linguistics, philosophy, and other areas related to those languages.

Conclusion

The story of the oldest languages in the world still spoken, or the oldest dead languages in the world, is a lesson we take in the power of communication and cultural expression in the human experience. A quick look at the oldest known languages in the world to mankind offers us a window into the kind of lives they led and the kind of culture that bound them together.

It serves as a reminder that languages are not only a way for us to relay information, it is a fragment of our history and identity.

The fact that some languages survived the test of time like Tamil, Greek, and Persian while others like Sumerian and Egyptian didn’t make it to today highlights the active effort it takes to hold onto linguistic heritage and how sometimes even that effort isn’t enough to maintain the linguistic diversity in the face of timeless factors like invasion and division.

This article encourages the readers to celebrate the richness and diversity of their mother tongue while remaining vigilant to protect its legacy.

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FAQs

What are the top 10 oldest languages in the world?

The top 10 oldest languages in the world are Sumerian, Egyptian, Akkadian, Eblaite, Elamite, Sanskrit, Greek, Chinese, Aramaic, Hebrew.

Which is older, Tamil or Hebrew?

Hebrew (c. 1000 BCE) is older than Tamil (c. 300 BCE)

Are any old languages still spoken today?

Yes. Some old languages are still in use, including Tamil, Greek, Chinese, and Hebrew.

Which is the oldest language in the world?

Sumerian (c. 3400 - 3100 BCE) is the oldest written language in the world.