International intelligibility of English spoken by college students in the Bashu dialect area of China

The Bashu dialect, prevalent in Sichuan and Chongqing, differs significantly from Standard Mandarin in phonetics and tonality, potentially hindering English pronunciation for native speakers. Globalization and China's economic growth have amplified the importance of English proficiency, necessitating a deeper understanding of English intelligibility among Sichuan speakers. This study aligns with the theory of World Englishes, acknowledging English as a global lingua franca and focusing on the intelligibility of non-native speakers. The research aims to identify phonetic barriers faced by Bashu dialect speakers learning English and to propose strategies for improving their international communication skills. The study's research questions address the overall level of intelligibility, differences based on regional variations within the Bashu dialect area, influential factors, and effective strategies for enhancing intelligibility.

The study of English intelligibility has evolved since Catford's (1950) initial work, with Smith and Nelson's (1985) three-tiered classification (intelligibility, comprehensibility, interpretability) providing a valuable framework. Research paradigms encompass psycholinguistic (focus on listener processing), sociolinguistic (impact of social and cultural factors), communicative competence (linking communicative success and intelligibility), and educational linguistics (improving intelligibility through teaching). Levis' (2005) Speaker-Listener Intelligibility Matrix categorizes interactions based on speaker and listener language backgrounds. Studies on China English intelligibility have shown varying results, with some indicating high intelligibility despite a Chinese accent (Munro & Derwing, 1995; Zhang, 2012; Zhou et al., 2019), while others highlight differences based on listener background (Crowther et al., 2015; Orikasa, 2016). However, previous research often overlooks dialectical variations within China, prompting this study to focus on the Bashu dialect.

This mixed-methods study involved 80 participants: 40 speakers (20 from Sichuan and 20 from Chongqing) and 40 listeners representing the Inner, Outer, and Expanding Circles of Kachru's (1985) World Englishes framework. Speakers were undergraduate students with intermediate English proficiency (B1 level, assessed using the Oxford Quick Placement Test). The phonetic experiment involved two parts: an individual word test (74 words) and a passage reading ('The Boy Who Cried Wolf'). Listeners transcribed the words, completed a cloze task on the passage, and rated overall intelligibility using a Likert-9 scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, including t-tests to compare Sichuan and Chongqing speakers and frequency analyses of pronunciation errors. Listener feedback was thematically analyzed to identify common challenges and strategies for improvement.

International listeners rated the overall intelligibility of the English spoken by Bashu dialect speakers at a mean of 6.2 out of 9 (Table 2), suggesting general intelligibility. While Chongqing speakers received slightly higher ratings (6.4) than Sichuan speakers (6), the difference was not statistically significant. In the word intelligibility test, listeners correctly transcribed 65.7% of the words on average (Table 5), with no significant difference between Sichuan and Chongqing groups. The passage intelligibility test showed higher accuracy (87.3%, Table 8), likely due to contextual cues. Listener feedback revealed common pronunciation challenges: vowel length and quality distinctions, voicing of consonants, nasal consonant confusion, confusion between /l/, /r/, /n/, /w/, and /v/, fricative substitutions, consonant cluster deletion and insertion, stress and rhythm issues, and intonation problems (Table 12). Suggestions for improvement included focusing on specific sounds, practicing pronunciation techniques, improving fluency and intonation, learning from native speakers, and using practical testing methods (Table 13).

The findings indicate generally high intelligibility of English spoken by Bashu dialect speakers, despite pronunciation challenges influenced by their native dialect. The slightly higher scores for Chongqing speakers suggest potential regional variations within the Bashu dialect. The higher accuracy in the passage test highlights the importance of context in comprehension. The identified pronunciation challenges align with previous research on Chinese English pronunciation difficulties. Listener feedback provides practical and actionable suggestions for improving instruction and learning. The results support the development of tailored pronunciation training programs focused on specific phonetic challenges common among Bashu dialect speakers.

This study demonstrates that while the Bashu dialect influences the pronunciation of English among intermediate learners, their speech remains largely intelligible to international listeners. Key pronunciation challenges were identified, along with practical suggestions for improvement. Future research should expand the sample size and include learners with varying proficiency levels and from different dialect regions to further generalize the findings. This study contributes to understanding the impact of regional dialects on English intelligibility and offers valuable insights for educators and language learning materials developers.

The study's sample size was relatively small and homogenous (40 intermediate-level undergraduate students from Sichuan and Chongqing). This limits the generalizability of the findings to broader populations. Future studies should include a larger and more diverse sample representing different proficiency levels, age groups, and geographical locations within and beyond the Bashu dialect area. A more diverse listener sample would also strengthen the findings.