Languages are constantly evolving and changing over time, with some dying out and others gaining popularity. But there are some languages that have stood the test of time and continue to be spoken today despite being thousands of years old!

Introduction to World’s Oldest Languages
If you’ve ever been curious about what the oldest languages still used today are, you might be surprised to find out that some of them have been in use since the 1st century AD! From the ancient Romans to the ancient Egyptians and beyond, people have been using language throughout history to communicate with each other, and these languages have been passed down through countless generations. This article gives an overview of five of the oldest languages still used today, and gives some insight into why they’ve been so successful throughout time.

Here’s our list of the oldest languages still used today, including some insight into their histories, how they are learned, and how they are changing in the modern world.

Sumerian Language
Sumerian, an ancient semitic language, is considered one of the oldest known human languages. The earliest attestations of this language date back to around 3200 BC with inscriptions found in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). This fact makes Sumerian one of the first spoken languages, preceded only by its parent language Akkadian. Sumerian continued to be used as a functional spoken and written language for at least another 1,500 years after Akkadian had been superseded by other Semitic and later Indo-European languages. It died out after the end of the Third Dynasty of Ur, but survived as a spoken language for some time thereafter. Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: Assyrian Neo-Aramaic is an East Semitic language that has been historically written using various scripts such as Aramaic and Syriac scripts. It became extinct in 2010 following mass emigration from Iraq due to instability caused by decades of war since 1980s; this includes ethnic Assyrians who are still living in regions controlled by Islamic State.

Ancient Egyptian Language
Ancient Egyptian has often been studied because it is one of the oldest written languages. Coptic, which is a descendant language, can be found in Coptic texts from as early as 200 AD. Even though Coptic is related to Ancient Egyptian, they are not always mutually intelligible. Due to time and contact with other languages such as Greek and Arabic, Coptic evolved into different dialects that cannot be understood by other speakers of Coptic.

There are three major literary dialects of ancient Egyptian, which are called dialects rather than separate languages because all can understand each other; however there are also many more linguistic varieties spoken in Egypt for everyday use.

Hebrew
Of all of the ancient languages, Hebrew is one that has survived for centuries. Even today, Hebrew is widely used by Jews in Israel and elsewhere as a spoken language and for written communication. Here are some fun facts about Hebrew, which might help explain why it has been able to withstand the test of time. First, as mentioned above, it’s still being spoken by people every day—in fact there are more than 7 million native speakers! Second, over a million Israelis speak Hebrew fluently even though they weren’t born into Jewish families. Third, during World War II when Europe was engulfed in war, many Jews fled Eastern Europe to Mandate Palestine (Israel) and found refuge among their own people speaking their own language. In this sense, Hebrew can be seen as a testament to the indomitable power of human ingenuity and perseverance. It continues to be a symbol of hope not only for those who use it but also for others around the world who wish to learn its unique tongue.

Sanskrit
To start off with, Sanskrit is considered to be among the most ancient languages still in use today. Written texts in Sanskrit first emerged around 1500 BCE, which makes it older than Greek and Latin. Unlike other ancient languages that mostly survived through preserved inscriptions and linguistic data, more than 18 million texts exist today in Sanskrit. Most Sanskrit documents are religious texts, meaning that the language has had a major impact on Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism for centuries.

Latin
Latin is one of the oldest languages still in use today, tracing its roots back to 400 BC. Despite its age, it is making a comeback in education. In recent years, Latin has seen an increase in popularity due to the push for global language education and international exchanges. Recently, Chile made news when it re-introduced Latin into its school curriculum because many believed that it was fundamental to their national identity.

Chinese Mandarin
Chinese is spoken by a staggering number of people, 1.35 billion according to the Guinness World Records. With such high numbers, it's only natural that more than one language would be in use in China! Mandarin Chinese is not only spoken in China but throughout Asia as well and is the second most commonly spoken language just behind English. Which makes it the perfect language to learn! Learning a new language can be difficult and frustrating, but it's also one of the most rewarding things you can do.

Languages are powerful communication tools that bridge cultural gaps and bring people together. Get started with us today and we will coach you through the journey of learning mandarin.