Chapter 1: The Complexity of Defining the Oldest Language

The inquiry into the world's oldest spoken language is deceptively complicated. What do we really mean when we refer to "the oldest language"? Are we considering the earliest written form, or are we asking what language was first spoken by humans? Moreover, we might ponder which ancient tongues are still in use today. As you can see, the question "What is the oldest language spoken by humans?" is laden with nuanced inquiries.

While we possess some answers, pinpointing the absolute oldest language remains elusive. Consider languages like Greek, Persian, Sanskrit, Tamil, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Hebrew; they each boast significant histories, but none can definitively claim the title of the oldest known human language or the oldest still in use today.

To tackle this question, we need to first examine the realm of written languages, where we have tangible evidence.

The first video provides insights into the oldest languages known to humanity, exploring both spoken and written forms.

Sumerian stands out as one of the earliest written languages, originating in ancient Mesopotamia. The Kish tablet, discovered in the ancient city of Kish (modern-day Iraq), dates back to approximately 3400–3100 B.C., making it over 5,000 years old. This early Sumerian writing system was initially pictographic before evolving into cuneiform, a script used across various Mesopotamian languages. This era, termed the "proto-literate" period, is considered the dawn of human literacy.

However, just because Sumerian is the earliest written language does not make it the oldest language overall. It is crucial to note that numerous writing systems remain undeciphered, some tracing back to the Neolithic period, such as the Vinča symbols from Central Europe, Jiahu symbols in China, and the Dispilio Tablet from Greece. Linguists suggest these might represent proto-writing systems, but we cannot compare them with established writing systems, nor can we ascertain if these were used for languages that have since vanished.

Despite the uncertainty, Sumerian is a strong candidate for one of the earliest written languages. It is classified as a language isolate, meaning it does not belong to any larger language family. While some linguists propose connections to various language groups, including Sino-Tibetan, Dravidian, and Munda languages, there is no definitive proof to substantiate these theories.

What about English? Being a member of the Indo-European language family, could it trace its roots back to the oldest language?

The second video delves deeper into what constitutes the 'oldest language', considering various linguistic theories and historical contexts.

Historically, several languages within the Indo-European family were once thought to be the oldest. Scholars like William Jones and Max Mueller claimed that Sanskrit was the "mother of all languages," due to its shared roots with European languages and its age. Yet, it turns out that Proto-Indo-European, spoken between 4500 B.C. and 2500 B.C., is the true ancestor of all Indo-European languages.

Recent studies suggest that the oldest branch within this family might be the Baltic languages, of which Lithuanian and Latvian are still spoken. Sanskrit, though archaic in some aspects, is predominantly used in religious contexts today, with around two million speakers in India and Nepal. Both Lithuanian and Sanskrit emerge as strong candidates for the title of the oldest language within the Indo-European family, as they bear the closest resemblance to Proto-Indo-European.

Yet, could the oldest language have originated in Africa?

Chapter 2: The African Connection

The Hadza people, an African hunter-gatherer community, are of particular interest not only for their health and nutrition practices but also for their language, which might be among the oldest known to humanity.

The Hadza language belongs to the Khoisan family but is now considered a language isolate, spoken by only about 1,000 individuals. It is characterized by unique click sounds, a feature shared by other Khoisan languages, such as Juǀʼhoan, which boasts 48 click consonants.

While many linguists speculate that these languages may be among the first spoken on Earth, the presence of click sounds does not inherently indicate age. Just because click sounds are prevalent in Africa does not guarantee these languages are the oldest; they may have evolved from earlier languages now lost to history.

The question arises: is the pursuit of identifying the oldest language futile?

Chapter 3: Is the Search for the Oldest Language Futile?

Language evolution complicates our understanding. Modern English speakers would struggle to communicate with those from Shakespeare's time, and Classical Sanskrit is quite different from its Vedic predecessor, which dates back at least a millennium. If modern Persian or Cantonese speakers were to travel back in time, they would face similar challenges with their ancestral languages.

So, can we ever definitively uncover the oldest language? Perhaps not. However, the more pressing question is whether we should even try. Our efforts might be better directed towards deciphering ancient languages we have already discovered, as many remain a mystery.

Exploring root languages, such as Proto-Indo-European, might yield more fruitful insights into language development. Sumerian remains our leading candidate for the oldest written language, but future discoveries could alter this understanding.

As our inquisitive minds continue to seek the world's oldest language, it may not lead to a conclusive answer. Nevertheless, the emergence of languages marked a pivotal moment in human progress, paving the way for writing and the eventual invention of paper, fundamentally transforming knowledge dissemination.

For those interested in the evolution of paper technology, further reading is recommended.