Day 35 of 365
February 4
📝
Language Proto-Indo-European Language
Most European and many Asian languages descended from Proto-Indo-European (PIE), spoken around 4500 BCE. Linguists reconstructed PIE by comparing similarities across descendant languages, working backward like linguistic archaeology. Though no written PIE exists, researchers can reconstruct vocabulary and grammar, revealing that ancient cultures had words for wheels, horses, and family structures.
💡 Did you know?
The English word 'mother' is related to 'madre' (Spanish), 'mutter' (German), 'matar' (Hindi), and 'madar' (Persian) - all from PIE 'méh₂tēr'!
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