Communicative competences and attitudes towards the preservation of indigenous languages in university students in Peru

This research examines the relationship between communicative competence and attitudes toward Quechua among university students in Puno, Peru. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 120 students through validated questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative results revealed a robust positive correlation (r = +0.94, p < 0.05) between communicative competence and attitudes toward Quechua. Specifically, 35.83% of the students demonstrated deficient levels of communicative competence, while 50% showed indifferent attitudes and 40.83% negative attitudes toward Quechua. The qualitative findings identified key factors influencing these relationships, including cultural identity, perceived economic value, and educational experiences. These results suggest that strengthening students’ Quechua language skills could positively influence their attitudes, with significant implications for language revitalization efforts and bilingual education programs in Peru.