Re: Conlang book

Quoting MGreenlee@AOL.COM:

 > Also, what cases (with descriptions) should I add to this list, which
 > will be
 > part of the glossary, and what is the difference between sub/superessive
 > and
 > sub/superlocative?
 >
 > Nominative
 > Accusative
 > Ergative
 > Absolutive
 > Genitive
 > Dative
 > Allative
 > Ablative
 > Elative
 > Illative
 > Translative
 > Superlative
 > Sublative
 > Locative
 > Superlocative
 > Sublocative
 > Inlocative
 > Essive
 > Inessive
 > Superessive
 > Subessive
 > Comitative
 > Instrumental
 > Causative
 > Inclusive
 > Exclusive
 > Prepositional

Keeping in mind the cases of my language, Finnish, I looked through your list of

cases. Most of them were there but I couldn't see the adessive there. It
occupies a rather prominent place in the group of cases which indicate places. I
describe the system a little although some of you have already read about that:

Let's use the word 'vuori' which is 'mountain'.

inessive: vuoressa = in the mountain (sb has gone in there)
elative: vuoresta = from the mountain (he's coming out)
allative: vuoreen = into the mountain (sb is going in there)

adessive: vuorella = on the mountain
ablative: vuorelta = from (the top) of mountain
allative: vuorelle = onto the mountain

Are these cases used in the same way in other languages which have some of these
 cases?

There is also one rare case not mentioned, the instructive. It replaces the word
'with'. Normally we say 'noun+GEN. with' or 'noun+ADESS.' but sometimes the form
'noun+INSTRUCT.' can be used.

Normally: with a nice girl = mukavan tytön kanssa (GEN. & with)
          with cold hands = kylmillä käsillä (ADESS.)
Instructive: with cold hands = kylmin käsin

That brings to my mind that conlangs could theoretically have a case for
virtually anything. How do you people see this? If the conlang uses cases, we
could indicate an important expression in an artificial case.

Tero

Off-topic P. S. : I'll visit the US 10.2.-23.2. with the EOL Chamber Choir. If
there is anybody who likes good music in Minneapolis, in the area west of
Chicago and south of Minneapolis or in Atlanta (GA), you can write me and I'll
give you the dates and places of our concerts. I will of course not receive
conlang mail but I think I might have some time to read my other mail there.