* Language Evolution is Continuous: Languages are constantly evolving. They change over time, branching into new languages and dialects. This means that tracing a direct lineage back to a single "original" language is impossible.
* Lack of Written Records: Many languages existed for thousands of years before they were written down. This leaves us with very little evidence to determine their origins and age.
What we *can* say:
* Proto-Indo-European: This is a reconstructed language considered to be the ancestor of many modern languages spoken in Europe, India, and parts of Asia. Linguists estimate it was spoken around 4,500 years ago.
* Ancient Egyptian: With written records dating back to around 3200 BCE, it's one of the oldest languages with a continuous history.
* Sumerian: Another ancient language with written records, Sumerian is believed to have been spoken around 3500 BCE.
The bottom line: While we can't pinpoint a single "oldest" language, we have evidence of languages that existed thousands of years ago. Language is a constantly changing phenomenon, and tracing its origins is a complex and fascinating field of study.