What is the general effect of reverberation on speech intelligibility?

Reverberation primarily has a negative effect on speech intelligibility. This occurs because reverberation refers to the persistence of sound after the original sound source has stopped, as sound waves reflect off surfaces and continue to bounce around a space. In an environment with high levels of reverberation, the overlapping of these delayed sounds can blur the distinct phonetic and temporal cues that are crucial for understanding spoken language. As a result, the listener may have difficulty distinguishing between individual speech sounds and words, leading to decreased clarity and overall comprehension. This is particularly problematic in environments without appropriate acoustic treatment, such as classrooms or lecture halls. The impact of reverberation can be especially detrimental for individuals with hearing loss, who may already struggle with hearing speech in less-than-ideal listening conditions.