In Estonian the prototypical non-verbal predicate is a noun or an adjective in the nominative case. The noun expresses class-inclusion, the adjective — a property. The prototypical predicative is non-marked in regard to time-stability. Time-stability can be marked by a non-prototypical form both in the case of class-inclusion as well as in the case of property. In the case of class-inclusion, temporary and random class-membership are marked by the translative, not by the essive. This feature makes Estonian similar to Russian and the Baltic languages and distinguishes it from Finnish. The essive is a relatively new case in Standard Estonian and its use is restricted. In copula sentences the essive can only be found as a marker of secondary predication. Temporariness of a property is marked by a non-prototypical clause pattern. The ways of marking the property depend on the semantic type of the property.
Dixon, R. 1977, Where Have All the Adjectives Gone? - Studies in Language 1, 19-80.
https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.1.1.04dix
Dixon, R. 1991, A New Approach to English Grammar, on Semantic Principles, Oxford.
Givon, T. 1984, Syntax: A Functional-Typological Introduction I, Amsterdam.
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.17
Hermann, K. A. 1884, Eesti keele grammatik, Tartu.
Kont, K. 1955, Translatiivist läänemeresoome keeltes ja mordva ning lapi keeles. - ESA 1, 163-170.
Leetberg, K. 1934, Na-kaasus on halb ja tarbetu. - EKirj., 362—374.
Nichols, J. 1981, Predicate Nominals. A Partial Surface Syntax of Russian, Berkeley-Los Angeles-London.
Onikki-Rantajääskö, T. 2001, Sarjoja. Nykysuomen paikallissijaiset olontilailmaukset kielen analogisuuden ilmentäjinä, Helsinki.
Pai, K. 2001, Translatiivne predikatiivadverbiaal eesti keeles. Magistritöö, Tartu.
Pajunen, A, 2000, Suomen ominaisuuspredikaatio ja tyyppi olla sairaana. - Näkökulmia kielitypologiaan, Helsinki (Suomi 186), 36-87.
Pajunen, A, 1998, Intransitiivipredikaation typologinen kuvaus - ja uralilaiset kielet. - Vir., 476-478.
Stassen, L. 1997, Intransitive Predication, Oxford.
Stassen, L. 2001, Nonverbal Predication in the Circum-Baltic Languages. - The Circum-Baltic Languages 2. Grammar and Typology, Amsterdam-Philadephia, 569-590.
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.55.12sta
