19. A decoder for decoding an encoded sequence, the encoded sequence having been encoded in accordance with a context model, the decoder comprising: a processor; a memory; and a decoding application stored in memory and containing instructions for configuring the processor to read an ordered set of two or more consecutive phrases from the encoded sequence, a first of the phrases in the set containing at least part of one codeword, wherein the phrases are bit strings of a respective predetermined length, determine from the context model a probability estimate associated with the first of the phrases, identify, from the probability estimate of the first phrase, respective probability estimates associated with each of the other phrases in the set, entropy decode at least a portion of each of the two or more phrases of the set in parallel in accordance with their respective associated probability estimates to create decoded phrase bits, and update the context model based upon at least some of the decoded phrase bits, and wherein the respective probability estimates associated with each of the other phrases are determined without dependence upon decoding of the first of the phrases.
19. A decoder for decoding an encoded sequence, the encoded sequence having been encoded in accordance with a context model, the decoder comprising: a processor; a memory; and a decoding application stored in memory and containing instructions for configuring the processor to read an ordered set of two or more consecutive phrases from the encoded sequence, a first of the phrases in the set containing at least part of one codeword, wherein the phrases are bit strings of a respective predetermined length, determine from the context model a probability estimate associated with the first of the phrases, identify, from the probability estimate of the first phrase, respective probability estimates associated with each of the other phrases in the set, entropy decode at least a portion of each of the two or more phrases of the set in parallel in accordance with their respective associated probability estimates to create decoded phrase bits, and update the context model based upon at least some of the decoded phrase bits, and wherein the respective probability estimates associated with each of the other phrases are determined without dependence upon decoding of the first of the phrases. 20. The decoder claimed in claim 19 , wherein at least one of the respective probability estimates associated with one of the other phrases is identified by the probability estimate of the first phrase plus an offset.