2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining whether the speech rate of the first speech segment exceeds a speech rate threshold; and reducing, responsive to the speech rate of the first speech segment exceeding the speech rate threshold, the pause duration.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining whether the speech rate of the first speech segment exceeds a speech rate threshold; and reducing, responsive to the speech rate of the first speech segment exceeding the speech rate threshold, the pause duration. 4. The method of claim 2 , wherein an amount by which the speech rate of the first speech segment exceeds the speech rate threshold and an amount by which the pause duration is reduced have a linear proportionality relationship.