Question
Here is the question : WHAT IS THE OLDEST LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD THAT IS STILL SPOKEN TODAY?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- Tamil
- Hebrew
- Latin
- Greek
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
This language, which has been documented for more than 2,000 years, is believed to have existed before 5000 B.C. Around 70 million people speak Tamil, which is also the official language of Singapore and Sri Lanka. Tamil is also extensively spoken in India. The titles keep coming as Tamil is also the only language to be personified as a god in the form of the Tamil language as a mother.
Tamil is considered the oldest language in the world that is still spoken today. It originated in southern India and northeastern Sri Lanka, where it remains predominantly spoken. Tamil has a long, rich history and literature, with the earliest inscriptions dating back to the 2nd century BCE.
Tamil speech communities inhabit the Tamil-speaking regions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in South India, as well as Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka. There are over 70 million Tamil speakers worldwide, making it one of the largest classical languages in existence. Tamil belongs to the Dravidian language family, with no known affiliations to Indo-European languages.
The Tamil language developed gradually over centuries through oral poetic traditions, evolving into the classical Tamil literature and script by the 8th century CE. This literature covers a wide range of subjects including poetry, drama, scientific, medical and religious texts. The Bhakti movement led to development of devotional literature, with poets composing hymns praising Shiva and Vishnu.
The Tamil script, Brahmi, evolved from the earlier Tamil-Brahmi script. The earliest inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi were found on stone pillars at Jaggery and the Thirumoghur temple. The Tamil grammatical tradition also contributed to the development of various genre of literature. The Sangam era between 300 BCE and 300 CE is considered the Golden Age of Tamil literature.
Tamil is written in a 33 letter alphabet. It is used along with English in schools and government administration in Tamil-speaking regions. There are efforts to promote and preserve Tamil through education, scholarship, culture and media. However, threats remain from language shift to English, government policies favoring other regional languages, and lack of official status at central level. Political movements aim to gain official status for Tamil as a classical language of India.
Tamil culture is an important part of India’s diversity, with unique traditions, arts, beliefs and lifestyle. Tamil is deeply embedded in Hinduism, Buddhism and Shaivism. Tamil arts include poetry, music, sculpture, painting and architecture showcasing Dravidian South Indian style. Tamil cuisine is also popular, featuring rice, lentils, coconut milk, spices and vegetarian thalis. Tamil sports include silambam martial arts and jallikattu bull-taming.
Tamil language and culture represent some of humanity’s deepest roots and civilizational continuity. As the oldest existing classical language, Tamil brings unique perspectives that inspired art, spirituality and knowledge systems over millennia. Though endangered, Tamil continues thriving through advocacy, preservation efforts and regional pride in history, identity and heritage.
Protecting Tamil requires political support, access to education, media representation and intergenerational transfer of knowledge. It highlights importance of linguistic diversity, minority r