Hasty generalization

Overgeneralization means that a form of language is foul formed on the model of one or more other forms of speech. The term is most commonly used in language teaching and in language acquisition research. Overgeneralizations come about when a speaker / writer wants to use an expression that uses it does not or does not know sure enough.

Overgeneralization in language acquisition

Particularly striking are overgeneralizations in children who are about to learn their mother tongue. It takes a while to master the vocabulary and control systems to the extent that they can apply them safely and appropriately. In the development phase, in this stage has not been reached, overgeneralizations can be observed frequently. So to hear again and again that children use the irregular verbs with regular, but by false forms, such as " fliegte " or " trinkte ". Els Oksaar that responds in detail on overgeneralization and attributing to them a " system-forming effect " cited as another example, the sentence: "Grandpa has gesitzt and Gelest. "

The same phenomenon also occurs with nouns, when it comes to use them in the plural. Hans ramge reported by his son Peter, as he gradually formed a plural ending after the other learns and generalizes this again and again, with also different forms at the same time next to each other, such as " wheels " next to " Rade " and " Räder ".

Overgeneralization as general spokesperson strategy

Of course overgeneralizations are not limited to children in the age of acquisition. It is, rather, a strategy which follow all the people sometimes, if they want to use an expression or need and do not know the rules of use. Analogy or rule communication in such cases lead to overgeneralization.

Hypercorrection and overgeneralization

Hypercorrection is a phenomenon that is sometimes regarded as a form of overgeneralization. So you find in the article " overgeneralization " in Helmut luck a reference to "hyper- correction " such that "hyper- correction " is specified as one of the meanings of " overgeneralization ".

Hyper correction is also used for the result wrong language forms; unlike " overgeneralization " but a special social aspect is so connected: hyper correct forms have their origin in the fact that someone wants to linguistically adapt to a reasonably exemplary form of language, while " overshoots the target ."