Can following learner lead to awful language? (5)
I believe the answer is:
latin
'language?' is the definition.
(Latin is an example)
'can following learner lead to awful' is the wordplay.
'can' becomes 'tin' ('tin' can be a synonym of 'can').
'following' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'learner' becomes 'l'.
'lead to' says to take the initial letters.
The first letter of 'awful' is 'a'.
'l'+'a'='la'
'tin' after 'la' is 'LATIN'.
(Other definitions for latin that I've seen before include "language class" , "'Dead language, though still taught (5)'" , "Ancestor of French, Romanian" , "Old Roman language" , "and 15 Down: Student area of Paris" .)