native-level or conversational?

I try not too bee to pluperfect. I sways yous a spell checkered. I can nut hep it if aim sways rite. Your junta gonna hafts a git moused too it. Whey strive four an imposable goal? Ax long as I right lick this in my naive luggage, I have nut to fair too go wen taming to peek my target luggers ask will ask my naive luggage.

How about you? Do you strive for quality in your language learning? Or are you happy with attaining a passable level of communication?

You may have an IQ of 130, but if your speaking and spelling in your 2nd language is not up to par with the locals, then you're not going to be able to show just how bright you really are. You can feel it too when dealing with others. But the worst part is that it is very frustrating when the point you are trying to make is not getting through and nobody cares about you and your situation.

This is a topic which you cannot really empathize with if you have never had to work and live in a foreign language. If you've never interviewed for work in which you will be using a foreign language on the job with coworkers who are native speakers, then perhaps you don't understand just how much better it would be if you could say, "I'm at a native-level and can handle any situation without difficulty."

If you have reached native-level in another language, which language and how long did it take? I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

disappearing Japanese language proficiency tests

Has it become an epidemic? A problem that's out of hand? Or is this some kind of cold, hard reality? I was so shocked that I figured I must write a blog report about this! What is this world coming to?!!

There was once a test called the Japanese Test of Communication, or JTOC. I believe it had a scoring system rather than a level system. Anyway, it disappeared awhile back.

Then there was a new test called the JAST which would be taken on a computer and thus allow testing from an authorized location anywhere in the world. But it too disappeared.

There's also a test for Japanese people to certify their Japanese composition ability or something. It's called the BunKen for short.  There's a note on the website saying the test has been suspended from 2009.

And alas, we come to the most shocking news of all...