Overgeneralization
Definition
Overgeneralization occurs when the rules of grammar are applied too broadly beyond exceptions. Children often make these mistakes when learning language.
Analogy
Imagine you learn that adding "-ed" at the end of a verb makes it past tense (like "jump" becomes "jumped"). So you start applying this rule to every verb you know - but then you say things like "runned" instead of "ran". That's overgeneralization!
Related terms
Underextension: This happens when children define words more narrowly than adults do. For example, thinking that only their pet dog is called 'dog', not realizing that all similar animals are also dogs.
Syntax Errors: These errors occur when sentence structure deviates from the normative rules of grammar.
Semantic Errors: These errors occur when words are used incorrectly, leading to a misunderstanding in the intended meaning.
"Overgeneralization" appears in:
Practice Questions (1)
- What does the term 'Overgeneralization' refer to in language development?
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