Rhythm in speech and language: a new research paradigm.

Like any other aspect of spoken language, rhythm needs to be, and has been, studied from four different perspectives for a comprehensive and insightful account of its nature and functioning in speech communication: symbolic representation, production, perception, communicative function. The paper first gives an overview of the milestones in the analysis of rhythm under the headings of these four approaches over the past 70 years. This survey of the development of scientific ideas in rhythm research prepares the ground for the integration of the four strands in an interrelated framework of linguistic and speech signal analysis. On the basis of a definition of rhythm derived from the theoretical and methodological discussion, a new paradigm is outlined for future research, centred on the listener and on communicative function.