Evolution of Languages
                     EVOLUTION OF 
LANGUAGES
Introductio
 Over thousands of years, hnumans have developed a wide 
variety of systems to assign specific meaning to sounds, 
forming words and systems of grammar to create 
languages. Many languages developed written forms 
using symbols to visually record their meaning. 
Source: www.nationalgeographic.org
Distribution 
of 
The distribution of languages has changed substantially 
over timle.a Majonr reggionalu langauagegs likee Elamsite,  Sogdian, 
Koine Greek, or Nahuatl in ancient, post-classical and 
early modern times have been overtaken by others due to 
changing balance of power, conflict and migration. 
Source: www.nationalgeographic.org
Relative 
status of 
The relaltivae stantus ogf languages has also changed, as with the decline in prominencue of aFrencgh aned Gesrman relative 
to English in the late 20th century.
Source: www.nationalgeographic.org
PRE-HISTORY
Paleolithic 
(200,000–20,000 
The relative status of lanBguagPes )has also changed, as with 
the decline in prominence of French and German relative 
to English in the late 20th century.
Source: Wikipedia
Mesolithic 
(20,000–8,000 BP)
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, researchers attempted 
to reconstruct the Proto-Afroasiatic language, suggesting 
it likely arose between 18,000 and 12,000 years ago in 
the Levant, suggesting that it may have descended from 
the Natufian culture and migrated into Africa before 
diverging into different languages.
Source: Wikipedia
Neolithic (12,000–
6500 BP)
Population genetics research in the 2000s suggests that 
the very earliest predecessors of the Dravidian languages 
may have been spoken in south-west Iran between 
15,000 and 10,000 years ago before spreading to India 
much later.
Source: Wikipedia
Ancient history 
(3000 BCE–500 
Beginning in the LevanCt arEoun)d the 11th century BC, 
Phoenicia became an early trading state and colonizing 
power, spreading its language to what is now Libya, 
Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco as well as southern Spain, 
the Balearic Islands, coastal areas of Sardinia and Corsica 
as well as the island of Cyprus. 
Source: Wikipedia
Post Classical 
Period (500 CE–
During Roman ru1le i5n N0orth0 Afr icCa, LaEtin )made inroads as 
a language, surviving in some forms as African Romance 
until the 14th century, even persisting during the first few 
centuries of Arab-Muslim rule. Together with Berber 
languages, it was eventually suppressed in favor of 
Arabic.
Source: Wikipedia
Early modern 
period
Although writings existed in many of Europe's languages 
in the post-classical period, the invention of the printing 
press which helped to launch the Protestant Reformation 
quickly expanded the written form of European 
languages. 
Source: Wikipedia
19th century
During the 1800s, the Great Divergence which began in 
the between the 16th and 18th centuries accelerated. 
Although the Americas became independent between the 
American Revolution in the 1770s and the end of South 
American Wars of Independence in the 1820s, the newly 
independent nations retained their colonial languages 
including English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Source: Wikipedia
Future of language
The future of language has been a popular topic of 
speculation by novelists, futurists, journalists and linguists 
since the 19th century. American linguist and author John 
McWhorter projects that by the early 2100s only 600 to 
700 languages will be in widespread daily use, with 
English remaining as the dominant world language.
Source: Wikipedia