--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, enlil@... wrote:
> Peter:
> > Kanoin koiran taloon.
> > I carried (action finished) the dog (accusative)into the house.
> >
> > Kanoin koiraa taloon.
> > I was carrying (imperfect action) a dog (partitive) into the
house.
>
> Alright, then how does one say "I _carried a_ dog"?
>
>
> = gLeN
As you know Finnish does not use articles and English requires them
so we have to look at the context to decide which English article to
use. If you say 'a dog' then it is an unspecified dog and most
likely found in the partitive case, because it is one example (or
part) of many or all possible dogs.
Perhaps if I gave a clearer example if would help.
Join veden (accusative)
I drank (or was drinking) (all) the water.
Join vettä (partitive)
I was drinking (or drank) (some of/of/from/a part of all) the water.
In the first example all the water was consumed, so it is more
likely that the action was finished. In the second example, not all
the water was consumed, only a part (hence partitive case), so it is
more likely that the action (on all the water) was incomplete.
Anyway this is not a Finnish list but I did want to comment on the
partitive case.
Peter P