How many classical languages in the world?

There isn't a universally agreed-upon definition of a "classical language," so it's difficult to give an exact number. However, we can look at different approaches to defining them:

1. Based on historical and cultural significance:

* This approach focuses on languages that have a rich literary tradition and played a significant role in shaping the culture and history of their speakers.

* Examples include:

* Ancient Greek: Foundation of Western philosophy, science, literature, and art.

* Latin: Basis of many European languages, used in the Roman Empire, and the language of the Catholic Church.

* Sanskrit: The sacred language of Hinduism and Buddhism, with extensive literature.

* Classical Arabic: The language of the Quran, and a central language for Islamic scholarship and culture.

* Classical Chinese: Used in ancient Chinese literature and government.

* Ancient Egyptian: The language of the pharaohs, with hieroglyphics and a rich written tradition.

* Old Church Slavonic: The liturgical language of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

* This approach would likely yield a list of around 10-20 languages.

2. Based on linguistic criteria:

* This approach focuses on languages that are no longer spoken as a first language but still have a significant influence on modern languages.

* Examples include:

* Old English: The ancestor of Modern English.

* Gothic: A Germanic language that influenced other Germanic languages.

* Proto-Indo-European: The hypothetical ancestor of many European languages.

* This approach could include hundreds of languages.

3. Based on a broader understanding of "classical":

* This approach would include languages that are highly influential in their respective cultures, even if they are still spoken today.

* Examples include:

* Hebrew: The language of the Hebrew Bible and modern Israel.

* Aramaic: The language of Jesus and the New Testament, with a long history in the Middle East.

* This approach could include dozens of languages.

Conclusion:

The number of "classical languages" depends on how you define the term. There are a handful of languages widely recognized as classical due to their historical and cultural significance. However, depending on the criteria, the number can easily increase to dozens or even hundreds.