Alex McCurthy
The question of what is the oldest language in the world has been debated by historians and linguists for centuries. While there is no definitive answer, many agree that Sumerian, Akkadian and Egyptian are the oldest languages with a clear written record. All three of these languages are now extinct, meaning they are no longer used and do not have any living descendants that can carry the language to the next generation.
Sumerian is thought to be the oldest language, with the earliest known written records dating back to around 3500 BC. It was spoken in the area known as Sumer, which is now part of modern-day Iraq. Sumerian is a language isolate, meaning it is not related to any other known language. It is written in cuneiform, a system of writing that uses wedge-shaped symbols.
Akkadian is the next oldest language, with the earliest known written records dating back to around 2500 BC. It was spoken in the area known as Akkad, which is now part of modern-day Iraq and Syria. Akkadian is a Semitic language, meaning it is related to other Semitic languages such as Arabic and Hebrew. It is written in cuneiform, just like Sumerian.
Egyptian is the third oldest language, with the earliest known written records dating back to around 3200 BC. It was spoken in the area known as Ancient Egypt, which is now part of modern-day Egypt. Egyptian is an Afro-Asiatic language, meaning it is related to other Afro-Asiatic languages such as Berber and Somali. It is written in hieroglyphs, a system of writing that uses pictures and symbols.
Although Sumerian, Akkadian and Egyptian are the oldest languages with a clear written record, there are other languages that are older but do not have a written record. These include Proto-Indo-European, which is thought to be the ancestor of many modern languages, and Proto-Nostratic, which is thought to be the ancestor of many languages spoken in Eurasia.
In conclusion, Sumerian, Akkadian and Egyptian are the oldest languages with a clear written record. All three of these languages are now extinct, meaning they are no longer used and do not have any living descendants that can carry the language to the next generation. There are other languages that are older but do not have a written record, such as Proto-Indo-European and Proto-Nostratic.
