Hacia una conceptualización de la inteligibilidad del inglés como lengua internacional

Definiciones históricas y tendencias contemporáneas

Autores/as

  • Marco Sandro Ugarte Olea Universidad de Concepción
  • Mauricio A. Figueroa Candia Universidad de Concepción
  • Eladio Donoso Universidad Católica del Norte https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8961-2489

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.57.027

Palabras clave:

inteligibilidad, pronunciación en L2, lingua franca core, inglés como lingua franca, norma del hablante nativo

Resumen

El hecho que los hablantes no nativos del inglés hayan superado en número a los hablantes nativos ha causado un cambio gradual con respecto a las prácticas pedagógicas adoptadas en la enseñanza del inglés (English Language Teaching, ELT) (Caine, 2008; Rose et al., 2020), especialmente aquellas asociadas a la enseñanza de la pronunciación (Isaacs, 2018; Pennington, 2021), la cual se ha centrado, tradicionalmente, en el hablante nativo. Hoy en día, la discusión, la cual aún se encuentra abierta, se enfoca en la pronunciación basada en la inteligibilidad.

Este trabajo presenta una revisión bibliográfica de las definiciones del concepto de inteligibilidad propuestas por los autores más destacados en un periodo de setenta años. Aunque se ha asociado a varios otros términos como eficacia (Catford, 1950), comprensión (Smith & Rafiqzad, 1979), comprensibilidad (James, 1998; Munro & Derwing, 1995b; Smith & Nelson, 1985), interpretabilidad (Smith, 1992; Smith & Nelson, 1985), entendibilidad (Kenworthy, 1987), comunicación (Kenworthy, 1987), y comunicatividad (James, 1998), parece haber cierto consenso en que la inteligibilidad es un fenómeno complejo el cual involucra la producción y reconocimiento/recepción de la lengua en forma oral. Se espera que este trabajo de revisión sirva como ayuda a los profesores de pronunciación de L2 en la toma de decisiones sobre sus propias posturas y estándares que han de utilizar en sus propias prácticas pedagógicas.

Descargas

Los datos de descargas todavía no están disponibles.

Biografía del autor/a

Marco Sandro Ugarte Olea, Universidad de Concepción

Involucrado en programas de formación de profesores de inglés como lengua extranjera (EFL) en Chile durante más de 17 años. Su principal interés es la enseñanza de la pronunciación del inglés a estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera, especialmente a aquellos cuya lengua materna (L1) es el español. Actualmente cuenta con una beca otorgada por la Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo de Chile para cursar un doctorado en Lingüística en la Universidad de Concepción. Su proyecto de investigación doctoral aborda la transferencia al inglés como segunda lengua (L2) del proceso de lenición de los fonemas españoles /b d g/ y su impacto en la inteligibilidad. Asimismo, es beneficiario de una beca de la Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo/Programa de Becas/Beca de Doctorado Nacional 2019, folio 21191343.

Mauricio A. Figueroa Candia, Universidad de Concepción

Profesor asistente en el Departamento de Español de la Universidad de Concepción. Su investigación se centra en las ciencias del habla, específicamente en el uso de métodos cuantitativos para abordar problemas segmentales del ámbito fonético y fonológico, tanto en español como en lenguas indígenas de Chile, con énfasis en el mapudungun y el kawésqar. Gran parte de su trabajo puede inscribirse en los campos de la sociolingüística y la etnolingüística. En los programas de posgrado en lingüística, su docencia se enfoca en métodos de investigación para estudios de producción y percepción. Actualmente, se desempeña como director del Doctorado en Lingüística de su universidad.

Eladio Donoso, Universidad Católica del Norte

Profesor asociado de la Universidad Católica del Norte, en Antofagasta, Chile. Ha enseñado inglés como lengua extranjera (EFL), inglés como segunda lengua (ESL) y español como lengua extranjera durante más de veinticinco años, tanto en Chile como en los Estados Unidos de América. Durante los últimos quince años ha formado parte del cuerpo docente del programa de formación de profesores de inglés como lengua extranjera de su universidad. Su labor docente se complementa con sus intereses de investigación en lingüística, educación y formación docente, lo que se refleja en sus publicaciones en revistas especializadas nacionales e internacionales. Además, se desempeña como evaluador par y editor de importantes revistas de su disciplina.

Citas

Abercrombie, D. (1949). Teaching Pronunciation. ELT Journal, III(5), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/iii.5.113

Afshari, S., & Ketabi, S. (2016). Changing paradigms in teaching English pronunciation: A historical overview. International Journal of Research Studies in Language Learning, 5(5). https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsll.2016.1423

Algara, A., González, J., & Boada, A. (2004). La transferencia de la espirantización en la pronunciación de los fonemas obstruyentes oclusivos sonoros en el inglés de hispanohablantes nativos. Núcleo, 9, 9–29.

Allwood, J. (1977). A critical look at speech act theory. In Logic, Pragmatics and Grammar (pp. 53–69). Akademiförlaget.

Austin, J. L. (1962). How to Do Things with Words. Oxford University Press.

Baese‐Berk, M., McLaughlin, D., & McGowan, K. (2020). Perception of non‐native speech. Language and Linguistics Compass, 14(7), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12375

Bai, B., & Yuan, R. (2018). EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices about pronunciation teaching. ELT Journal, 73(2), 134–143. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccy040

Bamgbose, A. (1998). Torn between the norms: innovations in world Englishes. World Englishes, 17(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-971x.00078

Barreiro Bilbao, S. C. (2008). Análisis del lingua franca core (LFC) de Jenkins. In R. Monroy Casas & A. Sánchez Perez (Eds.), 25 años de lingüística en España. Hitos y retos (pp. 927–933). Universidad de Murcia.

Barrera-Pardo, D. (2022). Testing the Lingua Franca Core: The intelligibility of flaps. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 6(1), 100313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2022.100313

Bayyurt, Y. (2018). Issues of intelligibility in world Englishes and EIL contexts. World Englishes, 37(3), 407–415. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12327

Bent, T., & Bradlow, A. R. (2003). The interlanguage speech intelligibility benefit. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 114(3), 1600–1610. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1603234

Berns, M. (2008). World Englishes, English as a lingua franca, and intelligibility. World Englishes, 27(3-4), 327–334. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.2008.00571.x

Bouchhioua, N. (2019). Teacher cognition on pronunciation teaching and testing in the Tunisian EFL context. Journal of Second and Multiple Language Acquisition – JSMULA, 7(2), 48–69.

Burri, M. (2015). “My perspective changed dramatically”: A case for preparing L2 instructors to teach pronunciation. English Australia Journal: The Australian Journal of English Language Teaching, 31(1), 19–37.

Caine, T. M. (2008). Do You Speak Global?: The Spread of English and the Implications for English Language Teaching. Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education, 1(1), 1–11.

Candan, K., & İnal, D. (2020). EFL Learners’ Perceptions on Different Accents of English and (Non)Native English-Speaking Teachers in Pronunciation Teaching: A Case Study through the Lens of English as an International Language. Journal of English as an International Language, 15(2), 119–144.

Catford, J. C. (1950). Intelligibility. ELT Journal, V(1), 7–15. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/v.1.7

Chung, B., & Bong, H. K. M. (2021). Intelligibility of Korean-Accented English: Effects of Listener’s Familiarity. English Teaching, 76(1), 33–56. https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.76.1.202103.33

Colina, S. (2020). Spirantization in Spanish: The role of the underlying representation. Linguistics, 58(1), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1515/ling-2019-0035

Cruz, N. C. (2007). Terminologies and definitions in the use of intelligibility: state-of-the-art. Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada, 7(1), 149–159.

Crystal, D. (2003). English as a Global Language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Crystal, D. (2008). Two thousand million? English Today, 24(1), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266078408000023

Dauer, R. M. (2005). The Lingua Franca Core: A New Model for Pronunciation Instruction? TESOL Quarterly, 39(3), 543. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588494

Deterding, D. (2011). English language teaching and the Lingua Franca Core in east Asia. The 17th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Hong Kong.

Deterding, D., & Mohamad, N. R. (2016). The Lingua Franca Core and Englishes in East and Southeast Asia. Asiatic: IIUM Journal of English Language and Literature, 10(2), 7–24. https://doi.org/10.31436/asiatic.v10i2.854

Dimova, S. (2017). Pronunciation Assessment in the Context of World Englishes. In O. Kang & A. Ginther (Eds.), Assessment in Second Language Pronunciation (pp. 49–66). Routledge.

Ekong, P. (1982). On the use of an indigenous model for teaching English in Nigeria. World Englishes, 1(3), 87–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.1982.tb00474.x

Fayer, J. M., & Krasinski, E. (1987). Native and Nonnative Judgments of Intelligibility and Irritation. Language Learning, 37(3), 313–326. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1987.tb00573.x

Fishero, S., Sereno, J. A., & Jongman, A. (2023). Perception and production of Mandarin-Accented English: The effect of degree of Accentedness on the Interlanguage Speech Intelligibility Benefit for Listeners (ISIB-L) and Talkers (ISIB-T). Journal of Phonetics, 99, 101255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wocn.2023.101255

Fitria, R. (2020). Teaching pronunciation in the Indonesian context: A native speaker or ELF model? Accentia, 1(1), 24–31. https://doi.org/10.37598/accentia.v1i1.806

Flege, J. E., & Davidian, R. D. (1984). Transfer and developmental processes in adult foreign language speech production. Applied Psycholinguistics, 5(4), 323–347. https://doi.org/10.1017/S014271640000521X

Gass, S., & Varonis, E. M. (1984). The effect of familiarity on the comprehensibility of nonnative speech. Language Learning, 34(1), 65–87. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1984.tb00996.x

Golombek, P., & Jordan, S. R. (2005). Becoming “Black Lambs” Not “Parrots”: A Poststructuralist Orientation to Intelligibility and Identity. TESOL Quarterly, 39(3), 513. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588492

Gooskens, C., & van Heuven, V. J. (2017). Measuring cross-linguistic intelligibility in the Germanic, Romance and Slavic language groups. Speech Communication, 89, 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.specom.2017.02.008

Holliday, A. (2005). The Struggle to Teach English as an International Language - Oxford Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press.

Holtgraves, T., & Ashley, A. (2001). Comprehending illocutionary force. Memory & Cognition, 29(1), 83–90. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03195743

Isaacs, T. (2018). Shifting Sands in Second Language Pronunciation Teaching and Assessment Research and Practice. Language Assessment Quarterly, 15(3), 273–293. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2018.1472264

James, C. (1998). Errors in language learning and use: exploring error analysis. Routledge.

Jenkins, J. (2000). The Phonology of English as an International Language: New models, New norms, New Goals. Oxford University Press.

Jenkins, J. (2002). A Sociolinguistically Based, Empirically Researched Pronunciation Syllabus for English as an International Language. Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 83–103. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/23.1.83

Jenkins, J. (2005). Teaching English pronunciation: A sociopolitical perspective. In C. Gnutzmann & I. Frauke (Eds.), The Globalisation of English and the English Language Classroom (pp. 145–158). Gunter Narr Verlag.

Jenkins, J. (2007). English as a lingua franca: attitude and identity. Oxford University Press, Druk.

Jeong, H., & Thorén, B. (2018). Intelligibility of the alveolar [s] replacing the initial interdental /θ/ in English words. In Å. Abelin & Y. Nagano-Madsen (Eds.), Proceedings FONETIK 2018, University of Gothenburg (pp. 39–41).

Jeong, H., & Lindemann, S. (2025). Beyond ideologies of nativeness in the intelligibility principle for L2 English pronunciation: A corpus-supported review. System, 129, 103599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103599

Kachru, B. (1985). Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism: The English language in the outer circle. In H. Widdowson & R. Quirk (Eds.), English in the world: Teaching and learning the language and literatures (pp. 11–30). Cambridge University Press.

Kachru, B. B. (1992). The Other Tongue: English across Cultures (2nd ed.). University of Illinois Press.

Kachru, Y. (2008). Cultures, contexts, and interpretability. World Englishes, 27(3-4), 309–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.2008.00569.x

Kang, S., & Ahn, H. (2013). An Intelligibility-based Approach to English Pronunciation Teaching: Evidence from [r] Production. Language Research,49(3), 631–646.

Kang, O., Bae, Y., & Miao, Y. (2025). L2 speech intelligibility. Language Teaching, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444825101006

Kaur, J. (2018). The intelligibility of English in global contexts: Concepts, methods, findings and implications. 외국어교육연구 (Foreign Language Education Research), 22, 1–10.

Kenworthy, J. (1987). Teaching English Pronunciation. Longman.

Kiczkowiak, M. (2019). Seven principles for writing materials for English as a lingua franca. ELT Journal, 74(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccz042

Kirkpatrick, A. (2007). World Englishes: Implications for International Communication and English Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Klare, G. R., Sinaiko, H. W., & Stolurow, L. M. (1972). The cloze procedure: A convenient readability test for training materials and translations. Applied Psychology, 21(2), 77–105. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1972.tb00272.x

Korpal, P., & Sobkowiak, M. (2020). The perception of native vs. non-native Danish speech: Bent and Bradlow’s matched interlanguage speech intelligibility benefit revisited. Scandinavian Philology, 18(2), 284–296.

Levis, J. M. (2005). Changing Contexts and Shifting Paradigms in Pronunciation Teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 39(3), 369. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588485

Levis, J. M. (2018). Intelligibility, Oral Communication, and the Teaching of Pronunciation. Cambridge University Press.

Levis, J. M. (2020). Revisiting the Intelligibility and Nativeness Principles. Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.20050.lev

Levis, J., & Sonsaat, S. (2016). Pronunciation Materials. In A. Faravani, M. Azarnoosh, M. Zeraatpishe, & H. R. Kargozari (Eds.), Issues in Materials Development (pp. 109–119). Sense Publishers Rotterdam.

Lindemann, S. (2002). Listening with an attitude: A model of native-speaker comprehension of non-native speakers in the United States. Language in Society, 31(3), 419–441. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0047404502020286

Maley, A. (2010). The reality of EIL and the myth of ELF. In C. Gagliardi & A. Maley (Eds.), EIL, ELF, Global English: Teaching and Learning Issues (pp. 25–44). Peter Lang AG.

Matsuura, H. (2007). Intelligibility and individual learner differences in the EIL context. System, 35(3), 293–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2007.03.003

Monroy Casas, R. (2008). El lingua franca core (LFC) de Jenkins. Algunas razones para la resistencia y el cambio. In R. Monroy Casas & A. Sánchez Perez (Eds.), 25 años de lingüística en España. Hitos y retos (pp. 965–970). Universidad de Murcia.

Mozaheb, M. A., & Monfared, A. (2020). Exonormativity, Endonormativity or Multilingualism: Teachers’ Attitudes towards Pronunciation Issues in Three Kachruian Circles. Journal of English as an International Language, 15(2), 27–51.

Munro, M. (2012). Intelligibility. In C. Chapelle (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell.

Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (1995a). Foreign Accent, Comprehensibility, and Intelligibility in the Speech of Second Language Learners. Language Learning, 45(1), 73–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1995.tb00963.x

Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (1995b). Processing Time, Accent, and Comprehensibility in the Perception of Native and Foreign-Accented Speech. Language and Speech, 38(3), 289–306. https://doi.org/10.1177/002383099503800305

Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (2015). Intelligibility in research and practice: Teaching priorities. In M. Reed & J. M. Levis (Eds.), The handbook of English pronunciation (pp. 375–396). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118346952.ch21

Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (2022). Foreign accent, comprehensibility and intelligibility, redux. Benjamins Current Topics, 7–32. https://doi.org/10.1075/bct.121.02mun

Munro, M., & Derwing, T. (2020). Foreign accent, comprehensibility and intelligibility redux. Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, 6, 283–309. https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.20038.mun

Nguyen, L., & Newton, J. (2020). Pronunciation teaching in tertiary EFL classes: Vietnamese teachers’ beliefs and practices. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language TESL-EJ, 24(1), 1–20.

Nguyen, N. (2020). A new trend in pronunciation teaching. MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL, 2(1), 1–23.

Nickerson, C. (2005). English as a lingua franca in international business contexts. English for Specific Purposes, 24(4), 367–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2005.02.001

Pennington, M. (2021). Teaching Pronunciation: The State of the Art 2021. RELC Journal, 52(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211002283

Pennycook, A. (2017). The cultural politics of English as an international language (1st ed.). Routledge.

Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic imperialism. Oxford University Press.

Piccardo, E. (2016). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Teaching, Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Phonological Scale Revision Process Report. Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/phonological-scale-revision-process-report-cefr/168073fff9

Pourhosein Gilakjani, A., & Sabouri, N. B. (2016). Why Is English Pronunciation Ignored by EFL Teachers in Their Classes? International Journal of English Linguistics, 6(6), 195–208. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v6n6p195

Rahimi, M., & Ruzrokh, S. (2016). The impact of teaching Lingua Franca Core on English as a foreign language learners’ intelligibility and attitudes towards English pronunciation. Asian Englishes, 18(2), 141–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2016.1173466

Rose, H., McKinley, J., & Galloway, N. (2020). Global Englishes and language teaching: A review of pedagogical research. Language Teaching, 54(2), 1–33. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444820000518

Rubin, D. L. (1992). Nonlanguage factors affecting undergraduates’ judgments of nonnative English-speaking teaching assistants. Research in Higher Education, 33(4), 511–531. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00973770

Saldiraner, G. (2020). Using Songs in Teaching Pronunciation to Young EFL Learners [Dissertation to obtain the degree of Master of Arts]. https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezDetay.jspid=sFuhd7X0zaPD9j6svdnqrQ&no=O589rNEUFM1jIHhbqwI4mA

Seidlhofer, B. (2005). English as a lingua franca. ELT Journal, 59(4), 339–341. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/cci064

Smith, L. (1988). Language spread and issues of intelligibility. In GURT ’87 language spread and language policy: Issues, implications, and case studies (pp. 265–282). Georgetown University Press.

Smith, L. (1992). Spread of English and issues of intelligibility. In The Other Tongue: English across cultures(pp. 75–90). University of Illinois Press.

Smith, L. E., & Rafiqzad, K. (1979). English for Cross-Cultural Communication: The Question of Intelligibility. TESOL Quarterly, 13(3), 371–380. https://doi.org/10.2307/3585884

Smith, L. E., & Via, R. A. (1982). English as an International Language via Drama Techniques. World Englishes, 1(3), 102–107. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.1982.tb00477.x

Smith, L., & Nelson, C. (1985). International intelligibility of English: directions and resources. World Englishes, 4(3), 333–342. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.1985.tb00423.x

Taylor, W. L. (1953). “Cloze Procedure”: A New Tool for Measuring Readability. Journalism Quarterly, 30(4), 415–433. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769905303000401

Timmis, I. (2002). Native-speaker norms and International English: a classroom view. ELT Journal, 56(3), 240–249. https://doi.org/10.1093/%20elt/56.3.240

Uzun, T. (2022). The Interlanguage Speech Intelligibility Benefit for Turkish Speakers of English. Dil Eğitimi ve Araştırmaları Dergisi, 8(1), 70–87. https://doi.org/10.31464/jlere.1024616

Wang, Y., & Wen, X. (2023). Nativeness versus intelligibility as goal of English pronunciation teaching in China: Changing attitudes in national syllabi and curriculum standards. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-023-00189-2

Widdowson, H. G. (1994). The Ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly, 28(2), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587438

Xue, J., & Zuo, W. (2013). English Dominance and Its Influence on International Communication. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 3(12), 2262–2266. https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.3.12.2262-2266

Yagiz, O. (2018). EFL Language Teachers’ Cognitions and Observed Classroom Practices about L2 Pronunciation: The Context of Turkey. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 12(2), 187–204.

Yazan, B. (2015). Intelligibility. ELT Journal, 69(2), 202–204. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccu073

Zampini, M. L. (1996). Voiced stop spirantization in the ESL speech of native speakers of Spanish. Applied Psycholinguistics, 17(3), 335–354. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716400007979

Zoghbor, W. (2011). Teaching the pronunciation of English as a lingua franca: Reducing skepticism and increasing practicality. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(8), 285–288.

Zoghbor, W. S. (2018). Teaching English pronunciation to multi-dialect first language learners: The revival of the Lingua Franca Core (LFC). System, 78, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.06.008

Descargas

Publicado

19-06-2026

Cómo citar

Ugarte Olea, M. S., Figueroa Candia, M. A., & Donoso, E. (2026). Hacia una conceptualización de la inteligibilidad del inglés como lengua internacional: Definiciones históricas y tendencias contemporáneas. Anales De Lingüística, (16), 87-117. https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.57.027

Número

Sección

Artículos