In the context of the structure of language, speech segmentation is defined as which of the following?

• A. The understanding of grammatical rules in a language
• B. The process of perceiving individual words within the continuous flow of speech
• C. The process of learning new vocabulary words
• D. The ability to produce speech sounds accurately

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that speech segmentation refers to how listeners identify the boundaries between words in continuous spoken language, which is crucial because speech is often produced without clear pauses between words.
2. Recognize that this process involves perceiving individual words within the continuous flow of speech, allowing the brain to parse and make sense of spoken sentences.
3. Differentiate speech segmentation from other language processes such as understanding grammatical rules, learning new vocabulary, or producing speech sounds, which are distinct aspects of language acquisition and use.
4. Focus on the definition that speech segmentation is specifically about the perceptual task of breaking down continuous speech into discrete word units.
5. Conclude that the correct understanding of speech segmentation is 'The process of perceiving individual words within the continuous flow of speech.'