* Language Evolution: Languages constantly evolve and change over time. What we consider "ancient" languages are often just snapshots of a much longer and more complex history.
* Limited Evidence: Our knowledge of ancient languages is based on surviving written records and archaeological evidence. Many languages had no written form, and even those that did may have lost much of their history.
* Proto-Languages: Linguists often reconstruct hypothetical "proto-languages" from which modern languages descended. These are not actual languages but theories about common ancestors.
Some of the oldest attested languages (with written records) include:
* Sumerian: This language, spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, has written records dating back to the 4th millennium BCE.
* Egyptian: The earliest known hieroglyphic inscriptions date back to around 3200 BCE.
* Akkadian: A Semitic language spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, Akkadian has written records from the 3rd millennium BCE.
* Elamite: This ancient language, spoken in southwestern Iran, has written records dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE.
Important Note: It's important to remember that these languages were not isolated. They were part of larger language families, meaning they had connections to other languages spoken in their regions and beyond. The study of language evolution is complex and ongoing, and new discoveries are constantly being made.