segmentariness
Segmentariness is a theoretical property describing the extent to which a system’s structure can be partitioned into discrete, independently identifiable units called segments. The term is used across disciplines to contrast segmented representations with more continuous or integrative patterns. In general, high segmentariness implies that units can be clearly distinguished and treated as separable, while low segmentariness implies substantial overlap between neighboring units or a reliance on broader context for interpretation.
In linguistics, segmentariness concerns the degree to which speech can be analyzed into discrete phonemic segments
Beyond linguistics, segmentariness appears in discussions of data and signal processing, where it describes how readily
Measurement and related ideas include identifying boundaries through abrupt changes in signals, statistical independence between adjacent
See also: segmentation, phonology, coarticulation, modularity.