Essive case

[Sergio Meira S.C.O.]

Dear FUNKNETters,

does anyone know if there is a study of the meaning and uses of the essive
case in Finnish or other Finno-Ugric languages (especially from a
functional or cognitive perspective)? I am especially interested
in the uses in which the essive is apparently synonymous with the
nominative (e.g. Finnish 'tuo mies on opittaja' vs. 'tuo mies on
opittaja-na', both meaning 'that man is a teacher').

Thanks,

Sergio Meira
meira at ruf.rice.edu