Convergence is the process by which languages become more similar over time, often due to prolonged contact and interaction between speakers of different languages.

Divergence is the process by which languages become more different over time, often due to geographic separation or cultural factors.

Convergence can manifest in various ways, including the development of similar grammatical structures, the borrowing of words, and the emergence of pidgins and creoles.

Divergence can manifest in various ways, including the development of dialects, the emergence of new languages, and the loss of certain linguistic features.

Assimilation is the process by which one language influences another, often resulting in the borrowing of words, grammatical structures, or other linguistic features.

Accomodation is the process by which speakers of different languages adjust their speech to make it more mutually intelligible, often involving changes in pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary.

Assimilation can manifest in various ways, including the borrowing of words, the development of pidgins and creoles, and the emergence of new languages.

Accomodation can manifest in various ways, including the use of simplified language, the adoption of a common language, and the development of pidgins and creoles.

Convergence can be influenced by various factors, including prolonged contact between speakers, geographic proximity, cultural exchange, and economic interdependence.

Divergence can be influenced by various factors, including geographic separation, cultural isolation, political boundaries, and social stratification.

Language contact can lead to the development of new languages through creolization, pidginization, and language mixing.

A language that has developed from a mixture of two or more languages is often referred to as a mixed language or hybrid language.

A simplified language that develops when speakers of different languages need to communicate but do not share a common language is called a pidgin.

When a pidgin becomes the native language of a community, it is referred to as a creole.

Language contact can also lead to language death, which occurs when a language ceases to be spoken by any living speakers.