A Comparative Analysis of Phonetic Convergence in Multilingual Environments: Evaluating Theoretical Models and Acoustic Correlates

Abstract

This study investigates phonetic convergence within multilingual settings, focusing on the theoretical models that explain this phenomenon and the acoustic correlates that manifest. Employing advanced acoustic analysis techniques, we compare data across multiple language pairs to determine how multilingual individuals adapt their speech sounds in varying communicative contexts. The findings reveal significant discrepancies between predicted outcomes by established models and observed speech patterns, suggesting a need for recalibration of existing theories. This research provides crucial insights into language interaction dynamics, contributing to the broader understanding of multilingual phonetic adaptation processes.