Tracing form and function in the history of German intensifier selbst/selber

Abstract

This paper investigates the diachronic and synchronic distribution of the German reflexive intensifiers selbst and selber. While traditionally considered free variants, the two forms exhibit subtle differences in stylistic register, syntactic scope, and focus association. Based on historical corpora (including the edition of Weistümer by Jacob Grimm (1840–1869) and texts by Martin Luther, Paul Jacob Marperger, and Jean Paul) and contemporary spoken data (a small podcast corpus featuring Anne Will), the study combines qualitative analysis with quantitative statistical methods. The results show that over time, the formal overabundance of selbst and selber developed into a functional distinction. Three historical stages can be identified: (1) a fully inflected intensifier (selb) in Old and Middle High German, (2) the emergence of invariant forms (selbst, selber) in Early New High German, and (3) a functional split in Modern German, whereby selbst is increasingly restricted to narrow syntactic scope and single-focus contexts. These findings support a syntactic reinterpretation of intensifier variation and con- tribute to broader debates on exaptation and grammatical differentiation.