The article discusses the origins and immense influence of Proto-Indo-European (PIE), the ancient language that has evolved into more than 400 modern languages spoken by about half of the global population today. Laura Spinney's book, 'Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global,' highlights how advances in DNA analysis and archaeology have revealed the complexities surrounding the evolution of PIE. Initially believed to have connections to various ancient languages, recent findings suggest that the Anatolian languages did not derive from PIE, reshaping our understanding of linguistic development and ancient multicultural societies.
The explosion of Proto-Indo-European from its origins in Eastern Ukraine is, according to Spinney, 'easily the most important event of the last five millennia in the Old World.'
In the past two decades, new DNA analysis technologies, combined with archaeological advances, have solved many mysteries surrounding the spread of Proto-Indo-European.
Multilingualism predominated in the ancient world, where you might need different tongues to chat with your neighbor, perform religious rituals, and trade with the metal workers upriver.
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