Njengamanje, kunezilimi ezingaba ngu-6000 emhlabeni. Kunengxabano ephikisanayo mayelana nokuthi yimuphi kubo ongukhokho, ulimi lokuqala lwesintu. Ososayensi basafuna ubufakazi bangempela mayelana nolimi oludala kakhulu.
Cabangela inani lamathuluzi ayisisekelo namadala kakhulu okubhala nenkulumo akhona Emhlabeni.
Izingcezu zokuqala zokubhala ngesiShayina zihlehlela emuva eminyakeni engu-3000 edlule eNkathini YaseZhou. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ulimi lwesiShayina luye lwashintsha, futhi namuhla, abantu abayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-1,2 banohlobo lwesiShayina njengolimi lwabo lokuqala. Iwulimi oludume kakhulu emhlabeni ngokwenani lezikhulumi.
Umbhalo wokuqala wesiGreki uhlehlela emuva ku-1450 BC. IsiGreki sisetshenziswa kakhulu eGreece, e-Albania naseCyprus. Cishe abantu abayizigidi ezingu-13 bayayikhuluma. Ulimi lunomlando omude nocebile futhi lungolunye lwezilimi zakudala zaseYurophu.
Ulimi luyingxenye yeqembu lolimi lwesi-Afroasian. Izindonga zamathuna aseGibhithe zipendwe ngolimi lwaseGibhithe lasendulo, olwaqala ngo-2600-2000 BC. Lolu limi luqukethe imidwebo yezinyoni, amakati, izinyoka ngisho nabantu. Namuhla, isiGibhithe sikhona njengolimi lwezinkonzo zeSonto LamaCoptic (isonto lokuqala lobuKristu eGibhithe, elasungulwa nguSt. Mark. Njengamanje abalandeli beSonto lamaCoptic eGibhithe bakha u-5% wabantu).
Abacwaningi bakholelwa ukuthi isiSanskrit, ulimi olwaba nomthelela omkhulu kubo bonke abantu baseYurophu, savela eTamil. I-Sanskrit ulimi lwakudala lwaseNdiya, olwaqala eminyakeni engu-3000 edlule. Kusabhekwa njengolimi olusemthethweni lwezwe, nakuba ukusetshenziswa kwalo kwansuku zonke kulinganiselwe kakhulu.
Ungowomndeni weqembu lolimi lwase-Indo-European. Ngokusho kwedatha yakamuva, ulimi lukhona kusukela ngo-450 BC.
Kwavela cishe ngo-1000 BC. Ulimi lwasendulo lwamaSemite kanye nolimi olusemthethweni loMbuso wakwa-Israyeli. Iminyaka eminingi, isiHeberu sasiwulimi olubhalwayo lwemibhalo engcwele futhi ngenxa yalokho sabizwa ngokuthi “ulimi olungcwele”.
Ososayensi abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi ukutadisha umsuka wokuvela kolimi akukhuthazwa ngenxa yokungabi bikho kwamaqiniso, ubufakazi nokuqinisekiswa. Ngokombono, isidingo sokukhulumisana ngamazwi savela lapho umuntu eqala ukwakha amaqembu okuzingela.