Top 10 Most Ancient Languages Still Spoken

This ancient language originated in Mesopotamia around 4500 BCE and is considered one of the oldest known languages still spoken today. Sumerian was the language of the Sumerians, who were some of the earliest urban civilizations on Earth. Despite being extinct as a native language, approximately 600,000 Sumerian texts have been discovered, making it one of the most well-documented ancient languages. The use of cuneiform script in Sumerian writing has also provided valuable insights into the culture and history of ancient Mesopotamia.

This Dravidian language is spoken by over 70 million people primarily in India and Sri Lanka, with a rich literary tradition dating back to the 3rd century BCE. The oldest known written Tamil texts date back to around 500 BCE, making it one of the oldest surviving classical languages. Interestingly, the Sangam period in ancient India saw a significant increase in literary output in Tamil, which was considered a sacred language by the Brahmins.

This Semitic language originated in the 5th century CE and is still widely spoken today, with over 300 million native speakers globally. The oldest known written Arabic texts date back to around 700 CE, during the Umayyad Caliphate period. Interestingly, Arabic was considered a "language of the quraan", which meant that only scholars who had memorized the entire quran were allowed to interpret its meaning.

This Semitic language originated in the 10th century BCE and is still spoken today by around 9 million people, primarily in Israel and among Jewish diaspora communities worldwide. The oldest known written Hebrew texts date back to around 800 BCE, during the time of King David. Despite being a minority language, Hebrew has played an important role in Jewish culture and identity throughout history.

This Indo-European language originated on the Greek peninsula around 2000 BCE and is still widely spoken today in Greece and among diaspora communities worldwide. The oldest known written Greek texts date back to around 750 BCE, during the Archaic period of ancient Greece. Interestingly, the use of Greek as a lingua franca across the ancient Mediterranean facilitated trade and cultural exchange between various civilizations.

This Indo-Aryan language originated in northern India around the 11th century CE and is still spoken today by over 500 million people globally. The oldest known written Hindi texts date back to around 1200 CE, during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate. Despite being a post-colonial language, Hindi has played an important role in modern Indian culture and identity.

This Sino-Tibetan language is spoken by over 1 billion people worldwide, with a writing system that dates back to around 1200 BCE. The oldest known written Chinese texts date back to the Shang Dynasty period (16th-11th centuries BCE). Interestingly, Chinese characters, or "Hanzi", have evolved significantly over time and still remain an essential part of everyday life in China.

This Sino-Tibetan language is spoken by around 77 million people globally, primarily in South Korea and North Korea. The oldest known written Korean texts date back to the Goguryeo kingdom (37 BCE-668 CE), with the introduction of writing systems from China during the Tang Dynasty period. Interestingly, the Korean alphabet, "Hangul", was created in 1443 CE by King Sejong.

This Semitic language is spoken by around 30 million people primarily in Ethiopia and Eritrea, with a rich literary tradition dating back to the 14th century CE. The oldest known written Amharic texts date back to around 1500 CE, during the reign of Emperor Tewodros II. Interestingly, the use of Ge'ez script in Amharic writing has provided valuable insights into the culture and history of Ethiopia.

This Indo-European language is spoken by around 25 million people primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a rich literary tradition dating back to the 14th century CE. The oldest known written Pashto texts date back to around 1500 CE, during the reign of the Timurid Empire. Interestingly, Pashto has played an important role in regional politics and identity throughout history, with various dialects emerging across Afghanistan and Pakistan.