Kernregel

Kernregel is a term used primarily in Dutch-language texts to denote a central or foundational rule within a formal system. The compound comes from kern (core, kernel) and regel (rule). A kernregel signals a rule that captures the essential pattern or principle governing a broader set of statements, procedures, or forms, from which related rules are derived.

In linguistics, kernregel often refers to a baseline rule that explains a large class of phenomena. For example, a kernregel might specify how regular forms are generated in a grammar, with irregular forms treated as exceptions to be learned separately. The concept helps structure analyses and teaching by emphasizing the core regular process before addressing irregularities.

In education and pedagogy, kernregel highlights the essential rule that learners must master to use the system correctly, such as a spelling or grammar rule that underpins correct language use. In law, administration, or computer science, the term can denote a core principle or invariant rule that underpins a set of guidelines, procedures, or algorithms.

The term is most common in Dutch-language contexts but is sometimes used in cross-disciplinary discussions to describe a foundational rule that shapes further rules and interpretations.