Essive.
I. The original use of the essive is locative, but this only survives in some adverbial expressions: ulkona, out of doors; kaukana, far; luona, near; takana, behind; kotona, at home; läsnä olla, to be present; kokonansa, altogether (in its entirety); keskenänne, keskenänsä, etc., between you, them; and such expressions as olla rannempana, to be near shore; olla sisempänä, to be inside.
II. From this use comes that denoting a definite period of time during which something happens; tänäpänä, to-day; huomenna, to-morrow; Maanantaina, Tiistaina, etc., on Monday, Tuesday, etc. En ole maannut kolmena viimeisenä yönä, I have not slept there the last three nights. Ihmiset käyvät pyhänä kirkossa, people go to church on a Saint’s day. Eip’ on toiste tullutkana, Ei toiste sinä ikänä, She never came again, Never again in this life (Kal. v. 138). Jo päivänä muutamana, huomenna moniahana (Kal. v. 53).
III. From a metaphorical use of this local meaning the essive comes to denote the character or state in which the subject of a sentence is. It is used thus—
(1) As the predicate. Isäni on pappina, my father is a priest.
Taivas köyhän kattona,
Maantie permantona (proverb),
The sky is the roof of the poor man and the high road his floor. Mikä on asiana? what’s the matter?
(2) As the appositional case.
Minkä nuorena oppii
Sen vanhana muistaa (proverb),
What one learns young one remembers when old. Nuorna vitsa väännettävä, one should bend the bough while it’s young (proverb). Poikana minä en tuntenut häntä, as a boy I never knew him.