This is a summary of the state-of-the-art research in international intelligibility with emphasis on English. It also suggests some directions for future research. It is argued that in future research it would be desirable to make distinctions between three key concepts: intelligibility, comprehensibility and interpretability. The selected bibliography of 163 items has been assembled to give the reader an indication of how widespread this literature is, and at the same time to indicate its limitations. The sources searched include publications across various disciplines. This indicates that intelligibility can be approached from a variety of points of view and interests. Since intelligibility depends upon so many factors of different types involved in a given speech event, it is difficult to find ways o,f integrating approaches and parameters. That is a challenge for future research.In order to provide a clear perspective on the international intelligibility of English, we have selected 163 items (articles, books etc.) which represent the research done on intelligibility and comprehension during the period 1950-1985. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but we believe it is representative, and that a study of these resources can provide sufficient information on the current state of the art, and can offer directions for future research. The bibliographies of the works listed will lead interested readers to other material.The research findings from these sources sometimes appear to be in conflict with one another; however, concerning the international intelligibility of English, it is generally agreed that:( I ) For at least the last 200 years there have been English-speaking people in parts of the world who have not been intelligible to other English-speaking people in other parts of the world. This is accepted as a natural phenomenon which will continue. It is agreed that it is unnecessary for every speaker of English to be intelligible to every other speaker of English. Our speech/writing in English needs to be intelligible only to those with whom we are likely to communicate in English.(2) Native speakers are no longer the sole judges of what is intelligible in English. More and more non-native English speakers are interacting in English with other non-native speakers. In such cases, they must decide what is and is not intelligible. International intelligibility studies are now concerned with inreractions between nonnative English speakers, between native English speakers of different national varieties, and between native and non-native English speakers.(3) Native speakers are not always more intelligible than non-native speakers. Given the same hearer, the speaker (native or non-native) who speaks clearly, is able to paraphrase, and talks at the appropriate level of the hearer in terms of proficiency, topic and speed will be most intelligible.(4) Intelligibility is not speaker-or listener-centered but is interactional between speaker and listener. ( 5 ) The greater the active involvement (not just ex...

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Nonnative English speakers are almost always tested on their comprehension ability by listening to native speakers and answering questions based on what they have heard. Their comprehension of other nonnative speakers is seldom if ever tested. Nonnative speakers, however, do not limit their use of English to native speakers alone. Indeed they are increasingly using English with other nonnative speakers as well. The functional use of the term comprehensibility must therefore be broadened to include the evaluation of native and nonnative speakers. This paper reports the results of a study to test the comprehensibility of one native and two nonnative varieties of English with native and nonnative users of English in seven countries.

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