* Language evolution: Languages change over time. It's very difficult to trace the exact lineage of a language back to its absolute origins.
* Lack of written records: Many ancient languages existed without being written down, making it impossible to directly study them.
* Defining "language": What constitutes a "language" can be debated. Is it based on spoken forms, written forms, or a combination?
However, some languages are considered very old based on available evidence:
* Sumerian: This is one of the earliest known written languages, with the oldest known inscription dating back to around 3200 BCE. It was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq).
* Egyptian: Hieroglyphic writing emerged in Egypt around 3200 BCE, making it a contender for one of the oldest written languages.
* Elamite: This ancient language of southwestern Iran also dates back to the 3rd millennium BCE.
Important to remember: Even if we could pinpoint one language as the oldest, it's likely that many other languages existed at the same time, lost to history.