What is tokenization in NLP?

Tokenization in Natural Language Processing (NLP) refers to the process of breaking down a piece of text into smaller units known as tokens. These tokens can be words, phrases, or even whole sentences, depending on the granularity required for analysis. Tokenization is a fundamental step in NLP because it transforms raw text into a structured format that can be more easily analyzed and processed by machines.

By segmenting the text into tokens, algorithms can perform various operations such as counting frequency, identifying parts of speech, or understanding context within the text. This process enables other NLP tasks like sentiment analysis, text classification, and machine translation to be carried out effectively. Since language is inherently complex, tokenization allows for a more manageable analysis of linguistic constructs.

The focus on breaking down text into tokens is what makes this option the correct choice, as it directly pertains to the foundational principle of understanding and processing text data in the field of NLP.