Fallgruppe

Fallgruppe is a German term that literally means "group of cases." It is used across different disciplines to denote a subset of instances that share a defined characteristic and are analyzed together. The concept is descriptive rather than tied to a single formal definition, and its exact meaning depends on the context of the discussion.

In epidemiology and clinical research, the Fallgruppe typically refers to the set of individuals who have the disease or outcome being investigated. This group is often contrasted with a Kontrollgruppe or Vergleichsgruppe, which serves as a basis for comparison. The composition of the Fallgruppe is defined by the study’s case definition and inclusion criteria.

In linguistics, Fallgruppe is not a standard technical term. Some authors use it informally to refer to a group of linguistic items that bear the same grammatical case within a dataset, but more precise terminology such as Kasusformen or Kasussystem is common in formal descriptions of grammar.

In administrative, statistical, and legal contexts, the term may appear to categorize types of cases for reporting, resource allocation, or procedural analysis. Such usage is typically practical and descriptive rather than theoretical, and it reflects how cases are grouped for organizational purposes.

Etymology and usage notes: Fallgruppe is formed from Fall (case, instance) and Gruppe (group). The plural is Fallgruppen. See also Fall, Gruppe, Kontrollgruppe, Fallkategorie, Fallstudie.