1. A method for managing interactive dialog between a machine and a user comprising: providing audio output comprising speech to the user from the machine, said audio output comprising a sequence of one or more phrases, wherein each phrase is followed by a yield zone, said yield zone characterized by an absence of speech provided from the machine; receiving digitized audio data comprising speech audio input at the machine wherein said speech audio input is generated from the user or from an environment of the user; determining said audio input comprises speech audio input generated from the user; determining a time at which said speech audio input begins; determining an onset likelihood value based on the time wherein the onset likelihood has a first value if the time occurs during a given phrase associated with the one or more phrases and a second value if the time occurs during a given yield zone associated with the one or more yield zones; determining a confidence value from the audio input, wherein the confidence value is dependent upon the onset likelihood value and a recognition result from a speech recognition module; and providing an audio response from the machine to the user based on the confidence value.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time occurs during the given phrase, said given phrase comprises a pre-hold portion, a hold portion, and a post hold portion, and wherein the first value of the onset likelihood value is determined based on whether the time occurs during the pre-hold portion of the given phrase, the hold portion of the given phrase, or a post-hold portion of the given phrase.