Timeline

By Timelordisaac
  • 6000 BCE

    Possible Earliest Instance of a Complex Written Language

    There have recently been discoveries of tortoise-shell carvings dating back to c. 6000 BC, like Jiahu Script and Banpo Script, but whether or not the carvings are complex enough to qualify as writing is under debate. In China there was a discovery of 3,172 cliff carvings with 8,453 individual characters. These look very similar to Chinese scripts. If these are judged to be complex enough to be considered a language making it the oldest recorded language in the world.
  • Period: 6000 BCE to

    History of the Written Word

  • 3100 BCE

    Earliest Official Evidence of Complex Written Language

    Earliest Official Evidence of Complex Written Language
    Sumer developed what is currently considered the worlds earliest complex language of cuneiform. This script was written upon clay tablets using a wedge shaped stylus thus earning it the name cuneiform.
  • 3099 BCE

    Egyptian Hieroglyphs Begin to Surface as a Complex Script

    Egyptian Hieroglyphs Begin to Surface as a Complex Script
    Egypt is evidenced to have developed a written language using Hieroglyphs around 3100 BC. It is unknown whether it happened before or after Sumer's Cuneiform as Evidence points both ways. I think it happened shortly after Cuneiform and was influenced by it so I placed it as later than Cuneiform.
  • 2500 BCE

    Earliest Known Records of Literature

    Though this timeline is meant to be on the written word I felt it prudent to include some reference points for the development of Literature because of how important it is in writing. The beginning of Literature as best I could find out is somewhere around 2500 BC.
  • 1800 BCE

    First Pure Alphabets are Developed

    First Pure Alphabets are Developed
    The first alphabets to map single specific sounds to single specific symbols are developed. (Proper Phoentics) These first appear in Ancient Egypt.
  • 1450 BCE

    Earliest Attested Form of Greek Script

    Earliest Attested Form of Greek Script
    "Linear B" is a script that was used in ancient Mycenaean Greece.
  • 1400 BCE

    Earliest Confirmed Records of Chinese Scripture

    Earliest Confirmed Records of Chinese Scripture
    The earliest confirmed Chinese script is from the Shang dynasty. This is of particular import because it is very commonly believed that they developed their script without any influence or connection to Cuneiform.
  • 1050 BCE

    The Greek and Aramaic Alphabets Rise

    The Greek and Aramaic Alphabets Rise
    The Greek and Aramaic alphabets are derived from the Phoenician alphabet that is itself derived from Egyptian Hieroglyphs and is the oldest alphabet.
  • 1000 BCE

    Cascajal Block Was Created

    Cascajal Block Was Created
    This is a stone slab with 3,000-year-old writing from ancient Mesoamerica. The glyphs are picture based so it isn't widely determined whether it is writing or proto-writing.
  • 700 BCE

    Latin is derived from Greek

    Latin is derived from Greek
    Greek being the base for all European languages, Latin is very important because it is the most widespread variation of greek. Because the Romans (500BC) adopted it and stamped out most other greek dialects through their military conquest.
  • 500 BCE

    Aramaic Alphabet Adopted by Persia

    Aramaic Alphabet Adopted by Persia
    With the adoption of the Aramaic alphabet by Persia, the script becomes widespread throughout the middle east and India. Now, most languages of those regions are based on Aramaic, including Hebrew.
  • 476

    Collapse of the Roman Empire

    Collapse of the Roman Empire
    With the collapse of the Roman empire around 500 AD language development was primarily confined to the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia.
  • 750

    Rise of Islam Brings Major Literary Script

    The rise of Islam in the 7th century caused Arabic to rapidly increase in popularity and usage. Arabic became the new language of scholarship (replacing Greek) and Persia adopted this new language.
  • 1400

    The Italian Renaissance Begins a Great Rebirth

    The Italian Renaissance Begins a Great Rebirth
    The Renaissance revived Greek and Latin as significant languages. this caused a boom in the development of European languages. At the same time Arabic began to decline with the fall of the Islamic Golden Age.
  • 1420

    Korean Language of Hangul Developed

    Korean Language of Hangul Developed
    Sejong the Great of the Choson Dynasty and his scholars of the Jade Hall developed Koreas first written language, Hangul.
  • 1450

    Printing Presses Become Widespread

    Printing Presses Become Widespread
    The widespread application of printing presses allow for even greater Literary development.

  • Compulsory Education Commonplace

    By the year 1950 Compulsory education has become commonplace in most countries. This increases the population of people who are literate which furthers development of the Written Word.

  • Internet Access Becomes Common in Developed Countries

    Internet Access Becomes Common in Developed Countries
    With access to the internet and the creation of instant messaging and email, language begins to change drastically.

  • Mobile Phones Revolutionize Communication and Language

    Mobile Phones Revolutionize Communication and Language
    With the creation of 2G cellular networks, Mobile Phones quickly become commonplace. This allows people to communicate with someone else at any time not matter distance or other factors.

  • Smartphones Become Widespread

    Smartphones Become Widespread
    Smartphones allow for great ease of communication, internet access, and cause a huge spike in social media platforms and instant/SMS messaging. This heightens the quick development of slang and texting acronyms such as txt and irl.

  • Written language begins a seperation

    Common written language splits into two scripts, one filled with acronyms, slang and emojis/pictures. The other taking more scientific and literary techniques remaining traditional while still developing.