selbstbezeichnet

Selbstbezeichnet is a German adjective meaning “self-designated” or “self-described.” It refers to a label, term, or identity that a group or individual uses for themselves, rather than a label imposed by outsiders (often contrasted with Fremdbezeichnung, the outsider’s designation). The corresponding noun is Selbstbezeichnung, meaning self-designation or self-description.

Etymology and usage: Selbstbezeichnet combines selbst (self) with bezeichnen (to designate or label). The form is used attributively as in eine selbstbezeichnete Gruppe (a self-designated group) and predicatively as Die Gruppe ist selbstbezeichnet (the group is self-designated). In scholarly writing, the term helps distinguish how groups refer to themselves from how others refer to them.

Contexts and significance: The concept appears across sociology, anthropology, linguistics, and media analysis. Researchers examine Selbstbezeichnungen to understand identity, legitimacy, and political or cultural agency. For example, a nation, ethnic community, religious denomination, or social movement may adopt a self-designation that reflects internal norms, goals, or historical self-understanding. The term is often used in discussions about autonomy and representation, highlighting the difference between internal naming and external labeling.

Related terms: Fremdbezeichnung (external labeling), Endonym (the name a group uses for itself, often overlapping with Selbstbezeichnung), and Ethnonym (the name of an ethnic group). The distinction between Selbstbezeichnung and Fremdbezeichnung helps analyze how language reflects power dynamics and group identity.

See also: Endonym, Fremdbezeichnung, Ethnonym.