Very few ancient languages are still spoken. However, some are. Learning these languages can help to keep them alive. Right now, there are more dead languages than ever before in human history. On an almost yearly basis, languages are going dark. If you are somebody with an interest in learning new things, why not challenge yourself and tackle an ancient language? This post will explore this topic in more detail, telling you how you can unravel mysteries and explore the world’s oldest languages. Keep reading to find out how you can become a linguistic genius.
Tamil
Tamil is a language that’s spoken primarily in Sri Lanka. It is arguably one of the world’s oldest languages, with many going as far as to say that it is the oldest extant language in the world. Today, it is an official language in Sri Lanka and Singapore. It is also used in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, but is found elsewhere, too. Learning Tamil can be difficult, which is why it’s always a good idea to enlist the help of a professional tutor if you are interested in it. You can also use an online app or language service.
Greek
Greek is a very old language. However, the pronunciation of modern Greek differs massively from how it once was in ancient times. For example, historically, Greek had long and short vowels. Modern speakers of Greek only use short vowels now, however. The same is also true for consonants. Greek is a difficult language to learn, though nowhere near as difficult as Tamil is. You can pick it up without a tutor’s support by reading books and watching videos. Books can be borrowed from your local library and videos are available for free.
Latin
Latin is another of the world’s oldest languages. It is not really spoken anywhere in the world today, though it is still extensively studied and taught. The reason it is studied and taught is because of its cultural and historical significance since much of modern European history has been influenced by Rome. Latin is an immensely difficult language to learn. It’s typically taught to adherents of the Catholic faith at their religious schools, mainly because many historic Catholic and Christian texts were authored in Latin. Some were also authored in Greek as well, which is why many Catholics and Christians also learn Greek.
Hebrew
Hebrew is the language of Judaism. Ancient and modern Jews alike have learned to speak it. You could argue that Hebrew is one of the hardest languages in the world to learn, mainly because of its unique script and how hard it is to pronounce some of the letters and words. If you are interested in learning Hebrew, it is a good idea to enlist the help of a professional tutor. A tutor will help you overcome the inherent difficulties in learning the language and make it easier for you to master it.
Arabic
Arabic is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, especially in Asia and Africa. Arabic frequently ranks as one of the most difficult languages to learn, along with Hebrew. It is very similar to Hebrew in many ways and the languages share many words and pronunciations. You can learn Arabic independently, though it’s better to go to a tutor or at least download a language app. Slight mispronunciations can completely change the words that you are saying. Arabic is unique in that some words have hundreds of different meanings, depending on the context. There are also many different dialects of Arab.
Egyptian
Egyptian is not spoken anywhere in the world, though it is still studied and learned. The reason for this is that you could argue that Egyptian civilization was one of the most influential in human history, giving way to Roman and Greek civilizations. There are also many intact Egyptian buildings and structures, making learning the language a great way for historians to get a better understanding of the significance of intact structures. Hieroglyphics also give insight into the workings of Egyptian society, which is another reason why the language is still studied and learned today.
West Germanic
West Germanic is not a specific language, but rather it is a family of languages. This language family went on to birth German, English, and Dutch. West Germanic languages were spoken by nomadic warriors like the Anglo-Saxons and Jutes who founded the United Kingdom. English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the entire world and has many similarities with ancient West Germanic languages. Some of the words are still the same, in fact. If you want to learn more about West Germanic languages, there are a large number of influencers online who are teaching and explaining them.
Farsi
Farsi is another of the world’s oldest languages. It is typically spoken in Iran, though the Iranian diaspora speak it in other parts of the world as well. Many people comment that Farsi looks very similar to Arabic, and while it’s true that the script does, they are different languages. Urdu also looks very similar to Arabic but has its unique differences and nuances. If you are interested in learning Farsi, again, definitely consider enlisting a tutor’s support. You could argue that it is one of the hardest languages featured on this list a person can learn, along with Tamil.
Chinese
Finally, we arrive at Chinese, or Mandarin specifically. Mandarin is an ancient language, spoken all over the world. There are different dialects of Mandarin spoken around China. Also worth noting is that Chinese is not necessarily a language itself, since there are different variants of it spoken in different parts of China, from unique dialects of Mandarin to Cantonese, spoken exclusively in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is not part of China but will be in the next few decades. Cantonese is a unique language and very difficult to learn. Some consider it harder to learn than Mandarin.
Learning new languages can make you a more indomitable force when you are playing word games with friends and boost your intellect. If you are interested in challenging yourself, why not learn one of the languages mentioned here in this post? Learning a new language can be difficult but very rewarding.