How old is the geez language?

It's difficult to pinpoint an exact age for the Ge'ez language, as its history is intertwined with the development of the Ethiopic languages. Here's a breakdown:

* Ancient origins: Ge'ez is considered a Semitic language, a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. It shares common ancestry with languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Akkadian.

* Early records: The earliest known inscriptions in Ge'ez date back to the 4th century AD. These were found in Aksum, the ancient kingdom in present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia.

* Classical period: Ge'ez flourished as a literary and liturgical language from the 4th to the 14th centuries AD. During this time, it was used to write the Bible, religious texts, and works of literature.

* Modern use: Today, Ge'ez is primarily used as a sacred language in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Therefore, while the exact age of Ge'ez is uncertain, it's safe to say it has been around for at least 1600 years, with roots going back to the ancient Semitic languages.