R
It appears that the one language spoken before Babel is closely related to Abram. According to what I have read in the first book of Enoch (I cannot remember what chapter and verse) Abraham re-established the language of “Eber” henceforth he is called a Hebrew. In Genesis 14:13 is the first time that term is used in the Bible. Then Abraham's name was changed with the addition of (ha ה) signifying God's grace that gave faith to Abraham. “And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew (עברי)--now he dwelt by the terebinths of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram.” Hebrew עברי5680 `Ibriy ib-ree' patronymic from 5677; an Eberite (i.e. Hebrew) or descendant of (אבר) Eber:--Hebrew(-ess, woman). Eber עבר5677 `Eber ay'-ber the same as 5676; Eber, the name of two patriarchs and four Israelites:--Eber, Heber. Genesis 10:21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, (אבר) the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. כא וּלְשֵׁם יֻלַּד, גַּם-הוּא אֲבִי, כָּל-בְּנֵי-עֵבֶר--אֲחִי, יֶפֶת הַגָּדוֹל Curiously, the first two applications of this root עבר ('abar) are in names. The first time this root appears is in the name Eber (Genesis 10:21; all the sons of Eber). The second instance of our root is in the first occurrence of the name עברי ('ibri or Hebrew) in Genesis 14:13, where Abram is called a Hebrew. This seems to suggest that the kind of transition this root conveys takes signature precedence in Eber, and the result of Eber's transition is the Hebrews and their transition. Nimrod is mentioned in Genesis 10:8-10 and the beginning of his kingdom. This was before the confounding of languages mentioned in Genesis 11:7 for in Genesis 11:1 it says “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.” So the first language that was spoken or written is very closely related to the Hebrew language if not the exact written Hebrew of the Pentateuch, for the “Eber” was the language of Shem who survived the flood during the time of Noah. Arguments in a gentle way are welcomed.