verallgemeinern

Verallgemeinern is a German verb meaning to generalize: to extend a statement, rule, or observation from specific cases to a broader class, or to treat something as typical. In logic and everyday language, it describes drawing a general conclusion from particular instances, sometimes without sufficient evidence. The noun form is Verallgemeinerung, the act or process of generalizing.

Etymology: the verb is built from Allgemein (general) plus the prefix ver- and the suffix -ern. It is an inseparable-prefix verb, so the prefix stays attached in conjugation (ich verallgemeinere, du verallgemeinerst, er verallgemeinert). The perfect is haben + verallgemeinert.

Usage: Verallgemeinern is common in discussions of reasoning, science, journalism, and everyday talk. It can describe legitimate generalization, such as summarizing findings across multiple studies, but it often carries a critical nuance when the generalization is seen as overgeneralized or unjustified.

Forms: present tense ich verallgemeinere, du verallgemeinerst, er verallgemeinert; past tense verallgemeinerte; participle verallgemeinert; noun Verallgemeinerung; present participle verallgemeinernd.

Examples: "Aus einem einzigen Fall können wir nicht verallgemeinern." "Der Bericht verallgemeinert die Ergebnisse der Stichprobe." "Solche Aussagen verallgemeinern oft unbegründet." In der Argumentation spricht man auch von einer fehlerhaften Verallgemeinerung, wenn eine Schlussfolgerung zu weit geht.

Related concepts: generalization in formal logic or science, and the notion of overgeneralization as a critique of reasoning.