《現代語言》雜志的編輯使命是出版《關于外語和第二語言學習與教學的研究與探討》。MLJ是一份國際期刊，致力于促進所有現代外語和英語作為第二語言的研究人員和教師之間的學術交流。該雜志特別致力于出版高質量的非英語作品。它的出版重點進一步確定為將研究結果與各種環境和所有教育水平的教與學聯系起來。文章的貢獻被期望達到學術卓越的最高標準，推進理論知識，并探索清楚陳述和良好支持的教學含義。《現代語言雜志》在每期包含一卷的四期期刊中，發表8-10篇研究論文。有時，一個常規的問題也可能是客人編輯的，在這種情況下，它集中在一個特定的主題。雜志的補充版通常在一月出版，提供了多種格式，從特邀編輯的期刊到專題出版物。在《華爾街日報》的網頁上，有一份指導方針，可以為來賓編輯的專題和專題論文提供建議。MLJ還提供透視圖，這是一個出現在夏季期刊上的專欄，提供了及時的專業關注，以便從各個角度進行討論。MLJ還不時出版邀請的批判性評論文章，這些文章考慮用任何語言撰寫的與主題相關的出版物(如專著、編輯過的卷、實證研究文章、文章、報告、政策文件)，并將它們置于廣泛的學術研究背景中。該期刊以“語言學”和“教育與教育研究”為索引。

The editorial mission of The Modern Language Journal is to publish “research and discussion about the learning and teaching of foreign and second languages.” The MLJ is an international refereed journal that is dedicated to promoting scholarly exchange among researchers and teachers of all modern foreign languages and English as a second language. The journal is particularly committed to publishing high quality work in non-English languages. Its publication focus is further defined by linking the findings of research to teaching and learning in a variety of settings and on all educational levels. Article contributions are expected to meet the highest standards of scholarly excellence, advance theoretical knowledge, and explore clearly stated and well supported implications for teaching.In each of the four regular issues that comprise a volume, The Modern Language Journal publishes 8-10 research studies. At times, a regular issue may also be guest edited, in which case it focuses on a particular topic. A supplementary issue of the journal, usually published in January, offers a variety of formats, from guest edited issues to monograph-length publications. Guidelines for proposing guest edited issues and monographs are posted here on the journal’s Web page.The MLJ also offers Perspectives, a column that appears in the summer issue and presents timely professional concerns for discussion from various perspectives. From time to time, the MLJ also publishes invited critical review essays that consider topically related publications written in any language (e.g., monographs, edited volumes, empirical research articles, essays, reports, policy documents) by placing them into a broad context of scholarly inquiry.The journal is indexed in “Linguistics” and “Education and Educational Research.”