The causative construction in Early New High German: the hidden link between semantics and grammaticalisation

The verb lassen combined with an infinitive form (reparieren lassen, gehen lassen, stehen lassen) represents the most common type of analytic causative constructions in modern Standard German. The verb lassen can express a variety of causative meanings going from the permissive to the coercive interpretation (viz. English let, make and have). How has the causative construction with lassen developed such a wide meaning range in the German language, and why there is no other causative verb currently used today in such constructions? In order to formulate some substantiated hypothesis, a pilot study analysing data from a sample of causative constructions in Early New High German texts will be presented. This early period will give some important insights into the nexus between semantic aspects of (causative) verbs and their grammaticalisation.