overformation

Overformation refers to a concept in linguistics and cognitive science that describes the tendency for language learners to overgeneralize grammatical rules. This occurs when a learner applies a standard grammatical rule to cases where it does not apply, often because they have not yet learned the exceptions to that rule. For example, a child learning English might say "goed" instead of "went," or "foots" instead of "feet." This demonstrates an overapplication of the regular past tense "-ed" suffix or the regular plural "-s" suffix.

This phenomenon is a natural part of language acquisition and indicates that the learner is actively processing and internalizing grammatical patterns. It is not a sign of a learning disability, but rather a typical developmental stage. Overformation suggests that learners first acquire the general rule and then, through further exposure and correction, learn the irregular forms. The presence of overformation is often studied to understand how children acquire language and how they construct mental models of grammar. It highlights the iterative process of learning, where broad patterns are identified before finer distinctions and exceptions are recognized.