StoryLearning Podcast 513: The harsh truth about advanced fluency
Dec 24, 2025
Exploring the challenge of achieving C2 fluency, the host questions its true value and practicality. He shares that reaching C2 can take decades with immense effort, highlighting that for most, a B2 level suffices. Real-life examples demonstrate that immersion, rather than traditional study, is crucial for language mastery. The conversation also includes personal reflections on starting new languages and upcoming projects focused on spoken language. Listeners are encouraged to set realistic goals for their language journey.
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C2 Means Full Mastery, Not Just Exam Scores
- C2 is mastery: understanding virtually everything heard or read and expressing subtle meaning precisely.
- Achieving C2 requires living the language and long-term exposure, not just classroom study.
C2 Is About Idea Manipulation
- C2 involves manipulating complex ideas and reformulating arguments as a native would.
- Not all native speakers reach this level, so C2 measures a specific academic and communicative proficiency.
Advancement Slows Exponentially
- Progress slows exponentially: each CEFR band can take roughly twice as long as the previous one.
- Going from zero to C2 realistically often means a decade or more of immersion and practice.