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Abstract
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It is reasonable to accept that L1 English speakers can recognize foreign accents of non-L1 English speakers, such as a Chinese, Italian or Farsi accent which may affect the intelligibility of certain sounds, but more often it conveys the fact that they are not L1 English speakers. It is generally accepted that intelligibility is the most appropriate goal for learners. Fraser (2000, p.10) claims that learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) need to be able to “speak English with an accent, or accents, of their choice which is easily intelligible.” Indeed, intelligibility is the degree to which a listener can understand what is being said, or in the words of Kenworthy (1987, p.13) “intelligibility is being understood by a listener at a given time in a given situation.”
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