Proto. How one ancient language went global

In her fascinating study, Laura Spinney explores the origins and spread of the Indo-European languages, which are now spoken and written by nearly half of humanity, stretching from Scotland to Asia, from Homer to J.K. Rowling. Almost 500 modern languages can be traced back to one ancient tongue now called Proto-Indo-European. It was used as a single language from approximately 4500 BCE to 2500 BCE. No direct record of the language exists today, however for centuries linguists have tried to reconstruct its features by looking at its linguistic descendants.

Spinney’s work traces how Proto-Indo-European, perhaps spoken by the Yamnaya people of the Eurasian steppe north of the Black Sea, evolved into the many languages spoken by billions today, including English, Spanish, and Farsi. Drawing on archaeology, linguistics, and ancient DNA research, Spinney reconstructs the Yamnaya’s migrations across Europe and Central Asia, their interactions with other ancient cultures, and how these exchanges generated new language branches.

Ultimately, Spinney turns to the modern world by drawing parallels between the spread of Proto-Indo-European and today’s global dominance of English.