the three primitive languages
Preserved but no longer current.
The Persians say that Arabic, Persian, and Turkish are three primitive languages. Legend has it that the serpent that seduced Eve spoke Arabic, the most suasive language in the world; that Adam and Eve spoke Persian, the most poetic of all languages; and that the angel Gabriel spoke Turkish, the most menacing.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the three primitive languages” mean?
The Persians say that Arabic, Persian, and Turkish are three primitive languages. Legend has it that the serpent that seduced Eve spoke Arabic, the most suasive language in the world; that Adam and Eve spoke Persian, the most poetic of all languages; and that the angel Gabriel spoke Turkish, the most menacing.
Is “the three primitive languages” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.