accent adaptation in production

Phonetic adaptation to an unfamiliar accent extends beyond perception—it also influences speech production. Speakers adjust their speech dynamically, either converging toward or diverging from their interlocutor’s accent. While such adaptations are observed in native–non-native interactions, less is known about the specific strategies non-native speakers use to mitigate miscommunication, particularly how these strategies evolve in spontaneous conversations and how they are influenced by L1 backgrounds.

This study examines phonetic adaptation in unscripted, natural conversations between native English speakers and non-native speakers of different L1s (Japanese, Mandarin). Using an interactive computer game task, we investigate how participants adjust their pronunciation of English words that contrast tense and lax vowels.

Preliminary findings suggest that Mandarin speakers exhibit a spectral (but not temporal) learning trajectory as the conversation progresses. Interestingly, native English speakers also accommodate non-native spectral patterns to facilitate communication. Ongoing analyses include English-Japanese data and additional English-Mandarin interactions. Stay tuned for updates!