Linguistic Accommodation

Abstract

This chapter reviews literature on linguistic accommodation and discusses the role of accommodation in language change. In the first part, theoretical models of accommodation and linguistic change are introduced and discussed. In these models, linguistic accommodation (also convergence or synchronization) between individuals is regarded as an important mechanism of language change at the community level. However, more research is needed to validate theoretical models of accommodation and language change. The second part reviews the common research methods of accommodation studies, with a focus on dialect contact. The reviewed studies on short- and long-term accommodation used a large variety of methods and data, which makes comparisons across different studies and languages difficult. The third part of the chapter briefly reviews patterns and processes of accommodation found in the reviewed literature, to identify – in the fourth part – the most important linguistic and extralinguistic factors involved in accommodation. The chapter concludes by drawing attention to research gaps in the area of linguistic accommodation and language change, and proposing possible and desired directions for future research.