This study examines German perfect constructions from a usage-based perspective by carrying out a meticulous empirical investigation in two time frames. It analyzes all perfect tense forms in major early Old High German and Old Saxon textual monuments and their degree of grammaticalization. Then, by means of an extensive corpus examination, it shows the schemata behind contemporary German helper-verb selection in the perfect tense.

Autorentext

Melitta Gillmann, University of Hamburg, Germany.