It originated from the practice of teaching Latin; in the early 16th century, students learned Latin for communication, but after the language died out it was studied purely as an academic discipline. When teachers started teaching other foreign languages in the 19th century, they used the same translation-based approach as had been used for teaching Latin. The method has been criticized for its shortcomings.
It originated from the practice of instructing Latin; initially, students learned Latin to facilitate communication, but later it was studied as an academic discipline in itself. When other languages were introduced in the 19th century, teachers adopted a translation-based approach that mirrored the method used for teaching Latin. This technique has been criticized for its inadequacies.