International intelligibility of Nigerian English: The Vowel Length Factor

Abstract

The study examines the phonological intelligibility of Nigerian speakers of English. Specifically, it investigates the extent to which the length of vowels in the speech of Nigerian Speakers of English affects their intelligibility to speakers from different contexts. 100 evaluators, (international listeners made up of non-Nigerian speakers) transcribed six speech samples from six audio podcasts in which Nigerian speakers delivered speeches. The transcription of the different speech samples served to assess intelligibility at pronunciation level. Results revealed that the length of vowels is critical for maintaining intelligibility in international contexts.