Accidental gap

From a lexical gap is when in a ( natural ) language no word is available for a fact.

A classic example is the missing word for " no longer be thirsty " in German:

  • No longer hungry = satisfied; no longer thirsty =?

The example shows a missing lexical symmetry of the German vocabulary. In part, the lack of symmetry as a lexical gap is specifically indicated.

Regardless of symmetry issues, it may also be missing, for example, in Archisemen to a lexical realization.

In the language development in children is called a stopgap strategy if lexical gaps are filled by a overgeneralization.

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