diff --git a/Lib/string.py b/Lib/string.py
index 72a09f7..a4c48b2 100644
--- a/Lib/string.py
+++ b/Lib/string.py
@@ -94,7 +94,11 @@
         raise ValueError('Invalid placeholder in string: line %d, col %d' %
                          (lineno, colno))
 
-    def substitute(self, *args, **kws):
+    def substitute(*args, **kws):
+        if not args:
+            raise TypeError("descriptor 'substitute' of 'Template' object "
+                            "needs an argument")
+        self, *args = args  # allow the "self" keyword be passed
         if len(args) > 1:
             raise TypeError('Too many positional arguments')
         if not args:
@@ -120,7 +124,11 @@
                              self.pattern)
         return self.pattern.sub(convert, self.template)
 
-    def safe_substitute(self, *args, **kws):
+    def safe_substitute(*args, **kws):
+        if not args:
+            raise TypeError("descriptor 'safe_substitute' of 'Template' object "
+                            "needs an argument")
+        self, *args = args  # allow the "self" keyword be passed
         if len(args) > 1:
             raise TypeError('Too many positional arguments')
         if not args:
@@ -160,7 +168,19 @@
 # The field name parser is implemented in _string.formatter_field_name_split
 
 class Formatter:
-    def format(self, format_string, *args, **kwargs):
+    def format(*args, **kwargs):
+        if not args:
+            raise TypeError("descriptor 'format' of 'Formatter' object "
+                            "needs an argument")
+        self, *args = args  # allow the "self" keyword be passed
+        try:
+            format_string, *args = args # allow the "format_string" keyword be passed
+        except ValueError:
+            if 'format_string' in kwargs:
+                format_string = kwargs.pop('format_string')
+            else:
+                raise TypeError("format() missing 1 required positional "
+                                "argument: 'format_string'") from None
         return self.vformat(format_string, args, kwargs)
 
     def vformat(self, format_string, args, kwargs):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pep292.py b/Lib/test/test_pep292.py
index 6da8d2e..fd5256c 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pep292.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pep292.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
         self.assertEqual(s.substitute(dict(who='tim', what='ham')),
                          'tim likes to eat a bag of ham worth $100')
         self.assertRaises(KeyError, s.substitute, dict(who='tim'))
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, Template.substitute)
 
     def test_regular_templates_with_braces(self):
         s = Template('$who likes ${what} for ${meal}')
@@ -198,6 +199,9 @@
         eq(s.substitute(dict(mapping='one'), mapping='two'),
            'the mapping is two')
 
+        s = Template('the self is $self')
+        eq(s.substitute(self='bozo'), 'the self is bozo')
+
     def test_keyword_arguments_safe(self):
         eq = self.assertEqual
         raises = self.assertRaises
@@ -216,6 +220,9 @@
         raises(TypeError, s.substitute, d, {})
         raises(TypeError, s.safe_substitute, d, {})
 
+        s = Template('the self is $self')
+        eq(s.safe_substitute(self='bozo'), 'the self is bozo')
+
     def test_delimiter_override(self):
         eq = self.assertEqual
         raises = self.assertRaises
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_string.py b/Lib/test/test_string.py
index 3e65071..30fe42a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_string.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_string.py
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@
         self.assertEqual(fmt.format("foo"), "foo")
         self.assertEqual(fmt.format("foo{0}", "bar"), "foobar")
         self.assertEqual(fmt.format("foo{1}{0}-{1}", "bar", 6), "foo6bar-6")
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, fmt.format)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, string.Formatter.format)
+
+    def test_format_keyword_arguments(self):
+        fmt = string.Formatter()
+        self.assertEqual(fmt.format("-{arg}-", arg='test'), '-test-')
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, fmt.format, "-{arg}-")
+        self.assertEqual(fmt.format("-{self}-", self='test'), '-test-')
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, fmt.format, "-{self}-")
+        self.assertEqual(fmt.format("-{format_string}-", format_string='test'),
+                         '-test-')
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, fmt.format, "-{format_string}-")
+        self.assertEqual(fmt.format(arg='test', format_string="-{arg}-"),
+                         '-test-')
 
     def test_auto_numbering(self):
         fmt = string.Formatter()
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 4cb9ba8..58b74be 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #23671: string.Template now allows to specify the "self" parameter as
+  keyword argument.  string.Formatter now allows to specify the "self" and
+  the "format_string" parameters as keyword arguments.
+
 - Issue #21560: An attempt to write a data of wrong type no longer cause
   GzipFile corruption.  Original patch by Wolfgang Maier.