What is, or perhaps might be, the oldest word in the English language? Could it be the FIRST word too?
Well, according to a 2009 study, the oldest words are, according to “Today I Discovered The Oldest Words In The English Language“:
According toa 2009 study by researchers at Reading University, the oldest words in the English language include “I“, “we“, “who“, “two” and “three“, all of which date back tens of thousands of years. The discovery was made by tracking the divergence of ancestral words into different languages (including English) with an IBM supercomputer.
And that makes SO much sense! Self awareness, consciousness, self-identity and the famous phrase from René Descartes, “Cogito, ergo sum” or as we know it better, “I think, therefore I am“. And how wonderfully ironic that an IBM supercomputer was used too!
And numbers too! I previously posted about “The Original and Universal Language of Math” so that ties in quite well too!
And from another favourite website, Dictionary.com – The Oldest Words In The English Language, comes their roster of oldest words and it appeals to the poet in all of us!
In an unrelated study, the linguistic boffins at Dictionary.com revealed the oldest words in their online dictionary, although these only go back to 900AD or so. They include “love“, “black” (which predates “white” by a significant margin), “mother“, “give“, “man/woman“, “fire“, “hand“, “hear“, “pull“, “spit” and “worm“. Interestingly, “old” itself is one of the oldest words in the English language. As Dictionary.com explains:
Other authorities post similar results and go one step further, “Scientists discover oldest words in the English language and predict which ones are likely to disappear in the future” by predicting which words will become obsolete!
Babbel is another great resource for language and word information, and they list their ‘Oldest Words in The English Language‘ as well. All very similar and all fascinating in their reasons.
And what happens AFTER the first word is used? LANGUAGES! A future post will discuss the ‘Oldest Languages in the World‘!
So, just think about it … every time you say a sentence such as, “I am going on a coffee break!”, “We should order pizza tonight!”, “Who wants to go to Tofino for two or three nights?” . . . you are using the oldest words in the English language! Even the pizza … check my list below for The First Ever Pizza Delivery!
Words come and words go. There was even a 40 New Words That Were Added to the Dictionary in 2019. And that too will be a future OAC Bog Blog topic – how do new words come into existence?
And of course, a bit of frivolity here, with some other dubious and historical ‘Firsts’ or ‘Oldest’ using words, of course!
- The First Ever Morse Code Sent
- The First Speech Transmitted by Telephone
- The First Message on ‘The Internet’
- The First Text Message Ever Sent Was 25 Years Ago
- The Oldest Known Riddle
- The World’s Oldest Joke (1900 BC)
- 14 Old-Fashioned Words for Writers
- The First Ever …. Pizza Delivery! (especially nowadays!)
As long as there are words out there, there will be interesting topics!
What are the Oldest Words
in the World?
What’s the Earliest
English Word?
The World’s Oldest
English Dictionary
15,000 Year Old Words
We Still Use
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the study of language evolution and historical linguistics, I can confidently affirm the validity of the information presented in the article. The 2009 study conducted by researchers at Reading University, utilizing an IBM supercomputer to trace the divergence of ancestral words, is a pivotal piece of evidence that underscores the antiquity of certain English words.
The concept of tracking linguistic evolution through the ages is a fascinating field of study. The study's identification of words like "I," "we," "who," "two," and "three," dating back tens of thousands of years, provides a captivating glimpse into the roots of language. This aligns seamlessly with the broader exploration of self-awareness, consciousness, and self-identity—themes interwoven with the famous philosophical assertion, "Cogito, ergo sum."
Furthermore, the mention of numbers and their historical significance in language, as previously discussed in "The Original and Universal Language of Math," adds an additional layer of coherence to the narrative. It's remarkable how the oldest words encompass not only basic linguistic units but also fundamental concepts in mathematics.
The inclusion of Dictionary.com's insights, revealing words like "love," "black," "mother," and "fire" as some of the oldest, dating back to 900 AD, expands the temporal scope. Interestingly, the assertion that "old" itself is among the oldest words, as explained by Dictionary.com, adds a delightful twist to the exploration of language origins.
The article also touches upon the predictive aspect of language evolution, with the prospect of certain words becoming obsolete in the future. This aligns with the ongoing fascination among linguistic scholars and enthusiasts in predicting linguistic shifts and changes.
The references to additional sources, such as Babbel, reinforce the consistency of findings across different linguistic studies. The promise of a future discussion on the oldest languages in the world teases a broader exploration of linguistic diversity and historical language families.
In a broader context, the article intriguingly hints at the ephemeral nature of language, as evidenced by the inclusion of a section on new words added to the dictionary in 2019. This foreshadows a potential future discussion on the dynamic process of word creation and incorporation into languages.
Finally, the inclusion of historical milestones such as the first Morse code transmission, the first telephone-transmitted speech, and the oldest known riddle and joke adds a delightful historical dimension to the exploration of language evolution. The reference to "The First Ever Pizza Delivery" adds a touch of humor, highlighting the enduring and evolving nature of language through various historical epochs.
In conclusion, the article not only delves into the historical roots of English words but also weaves a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution, philosophical musings, and historical anecdotes, making it a captivating exploration of the oldest words in the English language.
