THE PEDAGOGICAL EFFICACY OF LATIN IN ENHANCING COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

The role of Latin in modern foreign language education has long been debated, particularly regarding its contribution to communicative competence. While Latin is traditionally viewed as a non-communicative or “dead” language, contemporary linguistic and pedagogical theories suggest that its study may significantly enhance metalinguistic awareness, structural analysis, and cross-linguistic transfer. This article examines how Latin supports communicative competence development in modern languages, especially Romance languages, through cognitive, linguistic, and pedagogical perspectives. Drawing on established theories of second language acquisition, communicative language teaching, and cross-linguistic influence, the article argues that Latin functions not as a competitor but as a cognitive and structural foundation for modern language mastery.