* Languages evolve over time: Languages are constantly changing and evolving. They don't have a single "birth date."
* No written record of the earliest languages: The earliest forms of both Spanish and English were spoken languages without written records.
* Common ancestor: Both Spanish and English trace their roots back to Proto-Indo-European, a hypothetical language spoken thousands of years ago in Europe.
Here's a simplified timeline to give you an idea:
* Proto-Indo-European: This language is estimated to have been spoken around 4500-2500 BCE.
* Latin: This language developed from Proto-Indo-European and spread throughout the Roman Empire.
* Vulgar Latin: A spoken form of Latin that evolved into Romance languages, including Spanish.
* Old English: Developed from Germanic languages and influenced by Latin.
Therefore, it's more accurate to say that Spanish and English have both been spoken for centuries, with their roots tracing back to a common ancestor.