5 Oldest Languages That Are Still Spoken Worldwide

Nations and their people are connected by a key medium i.e., communication. Languages are considered to be a vital source of communication with people across the globe. While some languages became extinct with time, others are still spoken and are still kept alive by humans. Let us explore the world's oldest language that is still spoken.

Oldest Languages That Are Still Spoken Worldwide

Sanskrit (1700-1200 BCE)

This language, dating back to 1700-1200 BCE, holds the title of being the second oldest language in the world that is still actively used today. Sanskrit serves as the language of Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, with around 7,000 people worldwide speaking it. It is often referred to as the mother of many languages, giving rise to languages like Hindi, Marathi, and others. Sanskrit is deeply intertwined with prayers, meditation, and ancient scriptures, making it a significant language in various spiritual and intellectual traditions.

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Greek (1450 BC)

Greek, originating around 1450 BC, has evolved over time from its ancient roots. It traces its origins back to the spoken languages of Greece and is derived from Mycenaean Greek. The language took a significant step forward about 700 years ago with the writing of The Odyssey. Modern Greek, spoken by approximately 13.5 million people globally, can be traced back roughly 3,500 years.

Hebrew (1000 BC-present)

Hebrew emerged around 1000 BC, following Aramaic by a millennium. It stands as one of the enduring mother tongues still in use today. Hebrew faced a period of dormancy until the 19th century when it was revitalized, notably by the Germans. Presently, modern Hebrew boasts around 9 million speakers, with 5 million using it as their primary language.

Farsi (522 BC – present)

Prior to Farsi, there was no known earliest language among the Indo-Iranian descendants. This language has its origins in Old Persian and is spoken across regions like Afghanistan, Iraq, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and within the Persian community. Approximately 70 million to 110 million people are native speakers of Farsi.

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Korean (around 57 BC – present)

Korean serves as the language of both North and South Korea. Around 57 BCE, there were indications of the Korean language or a proto-language similar to Korean. The ancient Korean system, known as Hanja, is rooted in the Chinese language and characters dating back to 400 BC. The phonetics of Korean were prevalent at that time and were further developed in the 15th century. Presently, there are 77 million native speakers of Korean.

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