Reflexive choice in Dutch and German

Standard Dutch and German have two reflexive forms: a weak form ('zich' in Dutch and 'sich' in German) and a strong form ('zichzelf' in Dutch and 'sich selbst' in German). The choice between the two reflexive forms in Dutch has been explained by the selectional restrictions of the verb, distinguishing between three verb classes: inherently reflexive verbs, accidentally reflexive verbs and transitive verbs. The same three verb classes can be distinguished in German, suggesting that the factors governing reflexive choice in Dutch and German are similar. However, several studies have pointed out... Mehr ...