10 ancient languages still in use across the World

Language is one of the most resilient components of culture. Though many languages have disappeared over the course of thousands of years, many are thriving today and carrying on the traditions and knowledge of the past through the ages. The languages mentioned below have been written languages for thousands of years and are still being spoken today as native languages or as vital languages of communication.

A classical language of India, Sanskrit has an ancestry dating back to more than 3,500 years. Sanskrit is an important part of all three religion traditions – Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain. The ancient texts of Sanskrit,, “Vedas and Upanishads,” are being studied today also. Although it's not commonly spoken in daily life, it's an important ceremonial and educational language.

Tamil is one of the world's oldest continuously used languages, with literature spanning over two millennia. Spoken across southern India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and further afield, Tamil maintains an extraordinary classical heritage and is at the same time a strongly contemporary spoken language.

Originating in the Italian peninsula more than 2,500 years ago, Latin was the language of the Roman Empire. Today Latin is no longer spoken natively, but survives in scientific, legal, and ecclesiastical contexts, and has deeply influenced many modern European languages.

Hebrew’s heritage stretches back more than three millennia. Once primarily a liturgical language, it was successfully revived in the 19th and 20th centuries and is now the official spoken language of Israel with millions of speakers.

Ancestors of this variety go back to the early Egyptian languages; indeed, some variety dates back as far as 4000 years. It is applied liturgically in the Coptic Orthodox Church. While it is no longer a commonly spoken daily language, the continuing use maintains an incredible linguistic tradition.

Greek has a continuous history of over 3,000 years, from the Homeric epics to its use today in Greece and Cyprus. Its form has changed, but Greek links speakers today with a rich literary and philosophical heritage.

Chinese languages, especially Mandarin, have documented roots over three millennia old. With the oldest written forms found on oracle bones, Chinese remains one of the most widely spoken languages in the world today.

Aramaic originated around 3,100 years ago and was once the lingua franca of the Near East. Today, it is spoken by small communities in parts of the Middle East and mainly used in religious contexts. Despite its limited modern usage, it remains one of the oldest continuously used languages, connecting us directly to ancient civilizations and their culture.

The Persian language has an ancient heritage that dates back over 2,500 years and continues to be the preeminent tongue of Iran and also Afghanistan (as Dari) and Tajikistan (as Tajik). Its literary and cultural past continues to be alive in poetry, philosophy, and popular culture.

Korean has a history that dates back at least two millennia. With a distinct writing system, Hangul, established in the 15th century. Korean is spoken by millions in North and South Koreas. Korean is a language with a rich historical identity.

More than being mere vehicles of communication, the languages listed above represent a living archive of human history. Each has braved centuries, even millennia, of change, carrying with it insight into ancient civilisations, literature, religion, and culture. Though many have evolved with time, their continued use today links us directly to the earliest chapters in the history of human linguistic development.