Language Learning Goals Despite Uncertainty (+ Relaunch Coming!)

  • Donovan Nagel
    Written by Donovan Nagel
    Donovan Nagel Teacher, translator, polyglot
    🎓 B.A., Theology, Australian College of Theology, NSW
    🎓 M.A., Applied Linguistics, University of New England, NSW

    Applied Linguistics graduate, teacher and translator. Founder of The Mezzofanti Guild and Talk In Arabic.
  • Read time 2 mins
  • Comments 3

No lengthy post today.

Just a video where I share a personal update on our current situation and some deep reflection on the issue of language learning goals despite uncertainty.

It’s very difficult to make progress toward anything or plan for the future when it all seems so uncertain.

Every week there seem to be new forecasts:

International travel expected to resume by January 2021.

Experts say international travel will return to normal by 2024.

International travel “not for the forseeable future”.


UPDATE: Various leaders and health “experts” now talking about all of this nonsense continuing for at least another 7 YEARS. At this stage, it’s pretty clear that all of this has nothing to do with keeping people safe from a virus.


One of the questions I raise in the video is what if we were a lucky generation to be able to freely travel everywhere?

What if my son’s generation won’t experience that?

Hopefully that’s not the case and this time next year, or two years from now, we’re all freely holidaying again with COVID-19 lockdowns being nothing but a bad memory.

What do you think?

In any case, I’m starting a new language mission for the remainder of 2020 with a hopeful travel goal next year (if travel bans lift).

I’ll announce that soon.

The Mezzofanti Guild is being completely relaunched

Exciting news.

I’m relaunching The Mezzofanti Guild (after several years of dormancy) at the end of next week with a brand new site.

I’ve been working overtime for the past few months to redevelop MezzoGuild while also hiring content creators for the new platform. I’m happy to say it’s almost complete.

As part of the relaunch of the site, I’ll be beginning to roll out some new, innovative additions that I’ve been conceptualizing for quite some time.

I won’t go into details now but look out for specific details on release day.

To top that off, I’ve reassumed management of TalkInArabic.com after 3 years and will be releasing a major overhaul of that platform in the coming month. More on that announcement later (subscribe to my email list to be the first to hear about it).


How do you stay motivated with so much uncertainty over travel?

Any language goals for the remainder of 2020?

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Donovan Nagel
Donovan Nagel - B. Th, MA AppLing
I'm an Applied Linguistics graduate, teacher and translator with a passion for language learning (especially Arabic).
Currently learning: Greek
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3 COMMENTS

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Cellogirl

Cellogirl

I am learning Spanish on Duolingo, and only started a few weeks ago. It’s working out great since I just have to do a few minutes a day and already know so much

CALISI

CALISI

Im looking forward to the relaunch and I will check out the Arabic site. I am diving full steam into darija (more Moroccan arabic content when you take over please?). Once I get back to a comversational intermediate level of darija, I want to get back into spanish. I know basic survival spanish but feel that I could gain fluency easily of I just study and speak intensely for a few months.

Do you or anyone else on here study more than one language at once? I may study both darija and spanish at the same time. They are in 2 different language families but my brain might still explode LOL

Paula Guard

Paula Guard

Difficult year for goals indeed, I wrote something about it recently on my own little blog. I was planning to take the Italian B2 exam in Bologna. It helped to take a step back and remind myself that the exam specifically isn’t my goal - my goal is to reach B2 level and the exam was just one part of that, a motivation if you like. I can reach B2 level this year without taking the exam, and by being a bit creative!

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."
- Ludwig Wittgenstein