Perceived L1 Status on VOT Convergence: Evidence for Enhanced Convergence towards the Non-Native Speaker

This study addresses a previous gap in research on the effects of social priming on phonetic convergence by L2 speakers, focusing on Voice Onset Time (VOT) in Mandarin speakers' English. Using a shadow task contextualized as an escape room activity, we investigated how Mandarin native speakers' perceptions of an interlocutor's L1 status influenced their VOT convergence for voiceless aspirated stops (/p, t, k/). Participants, exposed to either a Mandarin or English interlocutor condition, all exhibited reduced VOT from baseline to the shadow task. The reduction was greatest for bilabial stop and weakest for alveolar. Convergence was significantly greater for those exposed to the L2 interlocutor than those exposed to the L1 interlocutor, with the most pronounced difference in alveolar stop and the smallest in bilabial. These findings support the Interactive Alignment Model by proving that social priming influences phonetic convergence, with greater alignment observed when participants perceived the model talker as sharing their L1 background. This research uncovers a novel pattern in L2 phonetic convergence, challenging the widely held belief that L2 speakers are inclined to imitate native-looking speakers, and calls attention to the role of social information in language learning and intercultural communication.