From: juhavs
Message: 21707
Date: 2003-05-10
--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "juhavs" <juhavs@...> wrote:
>
>
> Okay, all you guys, you asked for this. I will now give my
diagnosis
> of your condition. I have no hesitation anymore. It is quite clear
> to me that many of you are suffering from an incurable condition:
> the notorious "nominatiivi, genetiivi, akkusatiivi, partitiivi,
> essiivi, translatiivi, inessiivi, elatiivi, illatiivi, adessiivi,
> ablatiivi, allatiivi, abessiivi, komitatiivi, instruktiivi"
envy.
>
> You see, thanks to this truly wonderful system of cases, the Finns
> have become the most philosophical nation in living history.Yes,
> just think about it, which small nation can boast an equal number
> of "Library of Living Philosophers" volumes? And why is that?
>
> Well, it does take a lot of philosophical acumen (and a sense of
> paradox) to realise that one prefers "sisällä" to "sisässä" while
> always saying "sisäosissa" instead of "sisäosilla". Indeed, as I
was
> born in Tampere, I must say that "synnyin Tamperella"; however, as
I
> now live in Helsinki, I must say that "asun Helsingissä",
> never "asun Helsingillä". So, moving from Tampere to Helsinki
> demands just the sort of self-reflexive thinking one must have in
> philosophical thinking.
>
> And Nokia? Well, that is easy. If you are at Nokia´s payroll, you
> must say that "olen Nokialla", of course. The unambiguous nature
of
> digitalised communication demands this (a whiff of Bohr´s
Principle
> of Complementarity?) But if you are at the University (any Finnish
> University will do here), you will either say "yliopistolla"
> or "yliopistossa" academic freedom, you know
>
> Cheers, Juha
>
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> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "aquila_grande"
> <aquila_grande@...> wrote:
> > Well, what I said about partitive, was a sort of joke.
> >
> > But I do not think the finnish case system is archaic. Actually
it
> is
> > highly inovating. Neither do I think it is cumbersome.
> >
> > I know two forign languages besides Norwegian and English,
namely
> > Italian and Finnish. Actually I know much more Italian words
than
> > finnish words. Nevertheless, I think it is much easier to form a
> > sentence in Finnish than Italian.
> >
> > I also know some German, a language I find extreemly rigid and
> > cubersome.
> >
> > I know it is not politicly correct to link language and
technical
> > abilities, but nevertheless I think there is some connection.
> >
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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