What was the original language?

Question

You know how the people long ago wanted to build a tower to the sky so they could talk to God, and then God didn't like that idea so he mixed everyone's language and no one could communicate so they never finished the tower. Well, before that happened wat was the REAL language?
If you are catholic you probably know the story.

Answer 1

The language name saṃskṛtam is derived from the past participle saṃskṛtaḥ 'self-made, self-done' of the verb saṃ(s)kar- 'to make self', where saṃ- 'with, together, self' and (s)kar- 'do, make'. In modern usage, the verbal adjective saṃskṛta- has come to mean "cultured". The language referred to as saṃskṛtā vāk "the language of cultured" has by definition always been a "high" language, used for religious and learned discourse and contrasted with the languages spoken by the people. It is also called deva-bhāṣā meaning "language of the gods".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit

Some observation from, Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Samskrita means reform. And the alphabets are called devanagari. Devanagari is the alphabets used in the cities of the demigods. And the language is called Samskrita, "most reformed." And Sanskrit is the mother of all languages.
They do not belong to any community or any section. It is universal.

Sanskrit is the mother of all languages; there is no doubt about it. In our childhood, we read one grammar made by two English professors, Mr. Rowe and Webb, in Calcutta, Presidential College, and they have given their statement that Sanskrit is the mother of all languages. Besides that, we understand from reliable resources, that Sanskrit is the spoken by the higher planetary denizens. It is therefore called Devanagari. Devanagari means the cities of the demigods. This language is spoken there. And so far, AUM is concerned, actually, the AU, the alphabet A, is the basic principle of all languages. And Krishna says, Aksaranan Akarasmi the A amongst all alphabets, is Krishna. Because A is the beginning of all language.

Answer 2

Many of the Amarna Tablets found in Egypt come from cities in Canaan proper. These tablets, which predate the Israelite conquest, are written mainly in cuneiform Babylonian, a Semitic language, which was the diplomatic language of the entire Middle East then. So, it was used even when writing to the Egyptian court. Note the statement in The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (edited by G. A. Buttrick, 1962, Vol. 1, p. 495) that “the Amarna Letters contain evidence for the opinion that non-Semitic ethnic elements settled in Palestine and Syria at a rather early date, for a number of these letters show a remarkable influence of *non-Semitic tongues*.”

So, there is still uncertainty as to the original language spoken by the first inhabitants of Canaan.

Had both Hebrew & Aramaic diverged from the original “one language,” or did one of them preserve the purity of that primary language? While the Bible doesn't say specifically, the implication is that the language in which Moses began the writing of the inspired Sacred Record was the same as that spoken by the first man.

Languages---Bridges and Walls to Communication
- Pidgins, Creoles, and Lingua Francas
- The Origin of Languages
- Historical and Social Factors
- The Future of Languages
http://watchtower.org/library/g/2000/8/8/article_01.htm

Answer 3

It is very difficult to answer since its history and we can only imagine it or try to reconstruct with help of evidence and we do not have any yet.

As per scientists Simple vocalisation and sign language developed first as in animals and especially monkeys.

Next was development of alphabets and refinement in vocalization. Sign language also developed alongwith.

With development of alphabets grammer was made and languages came up. Vedic Sanskrit is known to be one of the oldest well developed language and also mother of all indo european languages.

I think some vocalisation and sign language is the answer.

Answer 4

I know the story and if I had to pick a language, I would say Vedic Sanskrit, because it is often referred to as "The Grandmother of All Indo-European Languages." This doesnt include EVERY language, but God could have confused the non-Indo-European speakers more.

Answer 5

Human language developed from millions of years of vocal communication. Words came from simple sounds. Those simple sounds where likely orgiinally simple vocalized emotional responses.

Answer 6

God's language... English

Answer 7

That is so stupid to actually believe that "story" is true. That makes absolutely no sense! That goes along the lines of jack and the beanstalk.

Answer 8

Probably hand guestures and simple vocaliztions like we see in bands of chimpanzees today...


I was born Catholic.

Answer 9

If you think about it, the original language wouldn't NEED a name, as it was the only one. It was just 'language'. Literally, 'tongue use'.

Answer 10

The first language was probably made up of grunts and shreiks.