Linguistic evolution in Africa has been taking place for over 5,000 years. Some of the languages that were used by the ancestors of old are no more spoken.
However, the continent can still boast of some of the oldest spoken languages in the world. This list identifies some of the oldest spoken languages (that may also be written) on the continent. Here are four of them.
1. Khoisan languages
The umbrella group of Khoisan languages is the oldest spoken language in Africa. This is not surprising because the speakers are the Africans with the oldest established biological connection to prehistoric humanity dating back to nearly 100,000 years ago.
The languages have been spoken for at least, 5,000 years. They are known for their click consonants.
The languages are spoken by the southern African San tribe-folk (Khoikhoi) whose numbers are dwindling. This, coupled with the fact the Bantu languages are the most spoken in that area, means that the Khoisan languages are in danger of extinction.
2. Cushitic languages
Unlike the Khoisan languages spoken by some 400,000 or so people and are very localized, the Cushitic languages are spoken by millions and have formed the bases of national identities.
Although some tongues in Kenya and Tanzania have been linked with the Cushites, those unarguably linked to the Cushite culture from about 1,000 BC are the peoples of the countries in the Horn of Africa – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.
Over 15 languages are in this category, some of which have been spoken for 3,000 years.
3. Berber languages
A concept of inception of the Berber languages traces the north African tongue to about 200 AD. This is in spite of the fact that the proto-Berber language goes as far back as 5,000 years ago.
The Berber languages are of Afroasiatic stock, sharing similarities with Hebrew and Arabic. Today the languages referred to as Berber are spoken in Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania and Morocco by more than 30 million people.
Although pervasive in the aforementioned countries, the Berber languages are regarded as official state languages in only Morocco and Algeria.
4. Malagasy language
The Malagasy are the biggest ethnic group in Madagascar. They are identified with seafaring Austronesian peoples who settled on the island over 1,500 years ago.
Malagasy, which is also the language of the people, is an official Madagascan language. This seems well within reason seeing that the language has been spoken on the island before the 5th century.
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