verallgemeinernde

Verallgemeinernde is an attributive adjective in German used to describe statements, arguments, or reasoning that extend a property from specific cases to a larger group, often beyond what the evidence supports. It derives from the verb verallgemeinern (to generalize) and uses the present participle form with the typical attributive endings, for example verallgemeinernde Aussagen or verallgemeinernde Formulierungen.

In usage, verallgemeinernde statements can appear across various contexts, including everyday language, journalism, philosophy, and rhetorical analysis. They describe a tendency to apply characteristics observed in a subset to an entire group. This can be neutral when it reflects a well-supported general rule, but it is frequently evaluated critically when it leads to stereotypes, overgeneralizations, or logical fallacies. Analysts may examine the premises, sample sizes, and cultural or contextual factors that influence such generalizations. Examples include phrases like “Es passiert oft so” or “Alle X tun Y,” which linguistically signal a generalizing stance.

The term is closely related to but distinct from the noun verallgemeinerung (generalization) and the more neutral form verallgemeinert (generalized) or verallgemeinernd in other contexts. In critical discourse analysis and argumentation, labeling a statement as verallgemeinernd can help identify potential bias, oversimplification, or the need for more nuanced evidence.