New Books Network
Laura Spinney, "Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
May 8, 2025
Laura Spinney, an acclaimed science writer and author of "Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global," delves into the fascinating roots of Proto-Indo-European. She discusses how this ancient language, spoken around 4000 BC, evolved and influenced modern languages like English and Hindi. Spinney debates the dynamics of language spread, touching on migration and cultural exchange over conquest. She also highlights the complexities of understanding Sanskrit's origins within the Indo-European family and the importance of preserving today's linguistic diversity.
48:30
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Quick takeaways
- Proto-Indo-European, a language without written form, influenced the development and spread of numerous modern languages across Europe and Asia.
- The migration and cultural practices of the Yamnaya culture played a crucial role in the dispersion of Indo-European languages through social interactions and trade.
Deep dives
The Discovery of Proto-Indo-European
The concept of Proto-Indo-European (PIE) emerged as linguists recognized the structural similarities among various languages across Europe and parts of Asia. This recognition can be traced back to the 14th century when language similarities, especially among Romance and Germanic languages, prompted the idea of a common ancestor. The late 18th-century contributions of Sir William Jones further solidified this theory, as he identified strong connections between Sanskrit, Ancient Greek, and Latin, suggesting they descended from a shared linguistic root. Although PIE was never documented in written form, linguists utilize comparative methods to deduce its characteristics from known Indo-European languages.
