* No written records: Languages existed long before writing was invented.
* Evolution, not creation: Languages evolve over time, changing and branching off into new languages. There wasn't a single point where a "first language" suddenly appeared.
* The "proto-language" concept: Linguists theorize that all existing languages descended from a single ancestor, called a "proto-language." This proto-language existed tens of thousands of years ago, and its exact form is unknown.
What we can say:
* Early humans communicated: It's certain that early humans had ways of communicating, likely through gestures, sounds, and maybe even simple vocalizations.
* Language developed gradually: Language likely developed gradually, becoming more complex over time.
So, while we can't pinpoint the "first language," we know that the journey from early communication to the vast diversity of languages we have today is a fascinating story of evolution and adaptation.