Most mythologies do not credit humans with the invention of language but speak of a divine language predating human language. Mystical languages used to communicate with animals or spirits, such as …

Aug 24, 2023 · Historians and linguists generally agree that Sumerian, Akkadian and Egyptian are the oldest languages with a clear written record. All three are extinct, meaning they are no longer used …

Mar 14, 2025 · But when did human language, as we know it today, first emerge? For years, scholars have debated this question using various forms of evidence—from fossils to cultural artifacts.

If language evolved before the human migration from Africa, 120,000 to 150,000 years ago, it is possible that all the languages spoken today have evolved from a single root language, in the same way that …

Mar 14, 2025 · A new survey of genomic evidence suggests humans’ unique language capacity was present at least 135,000 years ago. Subsequently, language might have entered social use 100,000 …

Mar 20, 2025 · This groundbreaking study pushes the origins of human language tens of thousands of years earlier than previously believed. By linking linguistic capacity with genetic divergence, the …

Oct 13, 2023 · In this study, I will examine the following lines of evidence, most of which necessitate inference: paleontological evidence of first-language capacity; geographical, social, and genetic …

Nov 3, 2025 · It is a deep question, from deep in our history: when did human language as we know it emerge? A new survey of genomic evidence suggests our unique language capacity was present at …

These considerations suggest that the anatomical, neurological and physiological underpinnings of language are shared among all of humanity. If the capacity for language did evolve more than once, …

Mar 17, 2025 · One of the most profound questions about human history is when language, as we know it, first emerged. A new analysis of genetic studies proposes that the cognitive capacity for language …