overgeneralisation
overgeneralisation — 名詞
- overgeneralisationsingular
- overgeneralisationsplural
1. a statement that treats a small set of facts or examples as if they are true in
一概而論
將少數情況說成普遍事實的陳述
a statement that treats a small set of facts or examples as if they are true in every possible case, ignoring the many exceptions that exist in real life
Saying that all young people dislike reading is an overgeneralisation that ignores the many teenagers who love books.
說所有年輕人都討厭閱讀是一種一概而論，忽略了許多熱愛看書的青少年。
structure: saying that X is an overgeneralisation
Shirin felt that the article's claim about social media and teenagers was a harmful overgeneralisation.
Shirin 認為那篇關於社群媒體和青少年的文章說法是一種有害的一概而論。
When Diya claimed all teachers give too much homework, her father called it an overgeneralisation.
Diya 聲稱所有老師出太多作業時，她父親說這是一種一概而論。
The manager told the team not to make an overgeneralisation from feedback given by only three customers.
經理告訴團隊不要只根據三位顧客的意見就做出一概而論。
Rachel argued that the statement 'nobody cares about the environment' is a lazy overgeneralisation.
Rachel 認為「沒有人關心環境」這句話是一種草率的一概而論。
- sweeping statement
more informal and common in everyday speech
- blanket statement
emphasises that the statement covers all cases without exception
- stereotype
carries a stronger negative connotation, often about groups of people
- nuanced statement
a statement that considers exceptions and fine differences
用法筆記
Often used critically to point out that a claim lacks supporting evidence or ignores important exceptions.
常見錯誤
2. a thinking error that makes someone believe all future situations of a certain t
概化偏誤
因負面經驗而預期類似情況不好的偏誤
a thinking error that makes someone believe all future situations of a certain type will turn out badly, based on nothing more than one or more unfortunate events from their past
After losing her purse twice, Sumin's overgeneralisation made her afraid to carry any bag in public.
錢包丟了兩次之後，Sumin 的概化偏誤讓她不敢在公共場合帶任何包包。
Tunde's overgeneralisation led him to expect every job interview to end in rejection after just one unsuccessful attempt.
Tunde 的概化偏誤使他在一次面試失利後，預期每次工作面試都會被拒絕。
result: overgeneralisation + led [person] to expect...
The therapist helped Mateo see how overgeneralisation was making his anxiety worse after a single panic attack at the supermarket.
治療師幫助 Mateo 了解概化偏誤如何讓他因為一次在超市的恐慌發作而變得更焦慮。
Shirin's overgeneralisation from one rude taxi driver made her avoid taking taxis altogether for nearly a year.
Shirin 因為一次遇到態度惡劣的計程車司機而將此經驗概化，長達一年不敢搭計程車。
- cognitive distortion
broader term that includes overgeneralisation as one type
- catastrophising
similar but focuses on expecting the worst-case scenario, not just repeated patterns
用法筆記
Common in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a type of 'thinking trap' or cognitive distortion. Therapists help patients identify and challenge overgeneralisation patterns.
3. an error produced by a language learner who takes a grammar rule or word meaning
過度類化
語言規則或詞義使用超出合理範圍的現象
an error produced by a language learner who takes a grammar rule or word meaning and applies it to cases that do not follow that pattern, relying too much on a common structure
A child who says 'runned' instead of 'ran' is showing a common overgeneralisation of the regular past-tense rule.
孩子說出「runned」而不是「ran」，這是一種常見的過度類化，把規則過去式套用在所有動詞上。
Xiu learned that calling every four-legged animal 'doggy' is a type of overgeneralisation that young children often make.
Xiu 學到把所有四腳動物都叫做「狗勾」是幼兒常出現的一種過度類化。
pattern: calling X 'Y' is a type of overgeneralisation
Language teachers watch for overgeneralisation when a student uses one grammar pattern in almost every sentence.
語言老師會留意學生是否因為過度類化而在一句話中使用同一種文法規則。
Overgeneralisation explains why young children learning English say 'foots' instead of 'feet' while they figure out irregular plurals.
過度類化可以解釋為什麼幼兒學英文時會說「foots」而不是「feet」。
- overextension
more specific term for using a word too broadly (e.g. calling all men 'daddy')
- overregularisation
focuses specifically on applying grammar rules too broadly, such as adding -ed to irregular verbs
用法筆記
Most commonly observed in children acquiring their first language and in adult second-language learners. The term describes a natural part of learning, not a failure.