The Malaysian Association of Modern Languages was registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia in 1986, following a popular demand from teachers and researchers for a body which could act as a concourse for them to promote common interest, i.e. teaching and researching into languages which are still actively spoken in this modern world, and with that matters relating to the use of the languages in various aspects of the lives of their respective communities.

In terms of their professional background, the members of the Association consist of those who teach and research into various modern languages, i.e. Malay, English, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Italian, Korean, Japanese, German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil and Thai. Among the members are also those who are actively involved in research into indigenous languages of Malaysia, in particular Iban and Mah Meri.

The patron of the Association is His Royal Highness Tuanku Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah, The 35th Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan, A prestigious language award, the Raja Nazrin Language Award, has been instituted as a record of gratitude to His Royal Highness.

Activities carried out by the Association include international conferences, national and local seminars, lecture sessions by experts in various fields, language fairs, and short courses as a service to the community.