Objectives of the Study
This study aims to explore the following: (1) to investigate the intelligibility and/or comprehensibility of the spoken varieties in the Outer Circle within ASEAN; (2) to look at the factors related to the comprehension of the ASEAN Expanding Circle citizens by considering exposures to English through education, social media, work experiences, outside the classroom, and travelling and staying abroad. Based on the statements above, three questions were addressed:
1. Are the Englishes in the Outer Circle comprehensible to the citizens of the Expanding Circle nations?
2. Which Outer Circle‟s Englishes are the most and least comprehensible among the Expanding Circle‟s citizens?
3. What are the factors related to the Expanding Circle‟s citizens‟ comprehension of Outer Circle‟s Englishes?