Abstract
This study attempts to examine the intelligibility and acceptability of collocations used by Japanese learners of English from the perspective of English as an International Language (EIL). For the study, two types of questionnaires incorporating collocations taken from a speech corpus were given to 104 participants. The results of a statistical analysis indicate the following. First, Japanese learners' collocations tend to lack intelligibility for the speakers who do not share the same language system. Second, a familiarity with certain varieties of English may positively relate with the acceptability ratings for those varieties. The findings suggest the importance of knowledge of collocation for second language learners. On the other hand, the results indicate that learners' L1 may negatively relate with their construction of L2 collocations. With these things in mind, identifying the role of teachers in classroom activity and the need for learning materials aimed at improving students use of collocations are also discussed.
