definite, unique, complete set of people and things

[Jukka Aho]

but wiktionary says that pystyssä is a non-declinable adverb...in other words a fixed form "grammatical particle" [...] so I suppose the obvious question is still:...why isn't the partitive used? ...:D in this case, the plural partitive, pystyjä....

What I meant was that pystyssä can function in both roles: either as an adverb – as it is used here – or as the adjective pysty in the inessive. (Since the case doesn’t agree with käveleviä ihmisapinoita it can’t really be interpreted as being used as an adjective here.)

I’m not sure about “non-declinable” part, though. It seems to me that even as an adverb, you could use it in the inner locative cases (sisäpaikallissijat):

Tuomarin käsi oli pystyssä.
Kilpailija ampui sekä makuulta että pystystä.
Tikku jäi hiekkaan pystyyn.

[Jukka Aho]

So this, then, is an example of the rather obscure comitative case....which most grammar books suggest is a marginal case. ....and that it only has a plural form, and always takes a possessive suffix.....

So does this mean that you would only use it in "plural" situations??? Or, that you can use it in either "singular" or "plural" situations and context will determine the number of the noun?

The latter. You can only get the singular/plural sense from the context.

Suomeen minä saavuin koirineni ja kissoineni.....ja ...tota kai....vaimoineni..... .... :ochesey:

So I suppose this would be totally ambiguous, unless the "default" position is always "singular", except where context suggests plural....????....:D

Correct, it is ambiguous. I don’t think there’s a “default position”, though – or if there is, it is determined simply on the basis of what would be the most common or obvious or sensible case for each of the listed things, given the context.

For example, if you’re traveling by train and say “Saavun määränpäähän kirjoineni”, a reasonable assumption – unless the context suggests otherwise – is that you’re talking about a single book. But if you’re moving houses – and if we already know you have all your belongings packed in a van – “Saavun määränpäähän kirjoineni” is probably taken to mean your entire home library.

[Rob A.]

What I meant was that pystyssä can function in both roles: either as an adverb – as it is used here – or as the adjective pysty in the inessive. (Since the case doesn’t agree with käveleviä ihmisapinoita it can’t really be interpreted as being used as an adjective here.)

I’m not sure about “non-declinable” part, though. It seems to me that even as an adverb, you could use it in the inner locative cases (sisäpaikallissijat):

Tuomarin käsi oli pystyssä.
Kilpailija ampui sekä makuulta että pystystä.
Tikku jäi hiekkaan pystyyn.

Thanks for your response, Jukka....I suppose we are getting rather esoteric for most readers ....

I guess it's enough for me to know, at the moment, that pysty is a somewhat unusual word and tends to act like an adverb, but having a few potential suffix endings to "colour" its meanings.... in this instance, it is modifying a present active participle in a plural partitive declension...käveleviä ....an adjective derived from a verb....

[Rob A.]

For example, if you’re traveling by train and say “Saavun määränpäähän kirjoineni”, a reasonable assumption – unless the context suggests otherwise – is that you’re talking about a single book. But if you’re moving houses – and if we already know you have all your belongings packed in a van – “Saavun määränpäähän kirjoineni” is probably taken to mean your entire home library.

Again...thanks....a bit of practice using the comitative case....and I actually do know how to spell, totta kai...that really was a typo...

I'm still finding it hard to proof-read Finnish text....the errors just don't jump out at me as they do in English..... But I'm getting better at recognizing letter combinations or arrangements that simply ..."are not Finnish"....