Linguistic Performance and Comprehensibility of Auditors’ Reports in Tunisia

In Tunisia, several financial and accounting reforms have focused on business management and development of financial communication. These reforms encourage the audit report to play an informational role for all users of financial statements. Comprehensibility of the report is a fundamental characteristic that determines the performance and effectiveness of financial disclosures. It is generally accepted that the illegibility of audit information significantly reduces the satisfaction of stakeholders. The incomprehensibility of audit opinions hampers the interpretation of financial statements and reading of annual reports. This paper analyzes the extent of the intelligibility of Tunisian audit reports and discusses the implications of informational ambiguity.