Ancient language and words

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Here are 10 fascinating facts about ancient languages and words:

1. Hieroglyphics Mystery: Hieroglyphics, the writing system of ancient Egypt, remained undeciphered until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799, which had inscriptions in Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic scripts, allowing scholars to decipher hieroglyphics.

2. Invention of Writing: Cuneiform, one of the earliest writing systems, was invented by the Sumerians around 3200 BCE in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). It consisted of wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets.

3. The Oldest Language: Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language, is often considered the world's oldest language still in use today. It's the root of many modern Indian languages.

4. Phoenician Alphabet: The Phoenicians, an ancient Mediterranean civilization, developed one of the first alphabets around 1200 BCE. This alphabet became the basis for many modern scripts, including Greek and Latin.

5. Lost Languages: Many ancient languages have been lost to history, with no speakers left. One example is Etruscan, the language of the Etruscans in ancient Italy.

6. Longest Word: In Sanskrit, "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis" is often cited as one of the longest words. It refers to a type of lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust.

7. Runes and Magic: The runic alphabet, used by Germanic peoples like the Vikings, was believed to have magical properties. Runes were often used for divination and inscriptions on weapons and amulets.

8. Chinese Characters: Classical Chinese writing has over 50,000 characters, but only about 20,000 are commonly used. To be literate in Chinese, you need to know thousands of characters.

9. Indus Valley Script: The script used in the ancient Indus Valley Civilization (around 3300–1300 BCE) remains undeciphered. We have many inscriptions, but their meaning is still a mystery.

10. Latin's Influence: Latin, the language of the Roman Empire, has had a profound influence on many modern languages, including English. Over 60% of English words have Latin roots.

Language and its evolution throughout history are truly fascinating!
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