Which concept involves recurring patterns in the speech signal that aid in speech segmentation?

The concept that involves recurring patterns in the speech signal which assist in speech segmentation is statistical regularities. Statistical regularities refer to the predictable patterns that emerge in language, including phonemic and prosodic cues, that help listeners identify words and phrases in the continuous stream of speech. These patterns often manifest as certain phoneme combinations that are more likely to occur together, or rhythmic and melodic structures that highlight the boundaries between words.

When individuals process spoken language, their sensitivity to these statistical regularities facilitates the breaking down of speech into manageable units, enabling effective comprehension. For instance, a listener can learn which sounds typically precede or follow one another, helping them naturally segment the speech they hear into discernible words and phrases, despite the absence of clear pauses.

Understanding this concept is crucial because it emphasizes how our cognitive systems leverage linguistic patterns to efficiently process spoken information. Other concepts mentioned, though relevant in speech and language processing, do not directly pertain to the specific role of recurring patterns in aiding segmentation.