Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global

How One Ancient Language Went Global is a non-fiction history book that explores the origins and spread of the Proto-Indo-European language, an ancient ancestral language believed to be the root of many modern languages across Europe and Asia. The book follows how early human migrations helped this language evolve and diversify into thousands of languages spoken today, including English, French, Hindi, Russian, and many others. Laura Spinney combines archaeology, linguistics, and genetics to explain how scholars reconstruct this “lost” language and what it reveals about ancient societies. It also explores the cultures, movements, and people behind this linguistic expansion, showing how language is deeply connected to identity, migration, and human history.