Monta, Paljon and the Partitive

[jahasjahas]

Hmm, I suppose that in that case I am satisfied that 'paljon' is an adverb which grammatically modifies the verb rather than that 'ihmisiä' modifies paljon.

According to the VISK page linked by Jukka, a kvanttoriadverbi modifies either a) a verb, b) an adjective/adverb or c) a noun phrase.

In "Minun on pakko nähdä paljon ihmisiä.", it's ambiguous whether "paljon" modifies "nähdä" or "ihmisiä", although I'd choose "ihmisiä". (That is, "a lot of people", not "see a lot".)

[Jukka Aho]

In "Minun on pakko nähdä paljon ihmisiä.", it's ambiguous whether "paljon" modifies "nähdä" or "ihmisiä", although I'd choose "ihmisiä". (That is, "a lot of people", not "see a lot".)

Minun on pakko nähdä paljon ihmisiä.
“I must see lots of people.”

It sounds a bit like someone is obsessed with the burning desire to see (observe) crowds of people (for some unexplained reason), whereas...

Minun on pakko nähdä monia ihmisiä.

...makes it better sound like someone has to see (meet) several people, each individually.

[PäähäniSattuu]

Minun on pakko nähdä ihimisiä doesn't work, or does it? I always learnt that contrary to expectations nähdä takes the accusative.

[jahasjahas]

"Minun on pakko nähdä ihmisiä." does work. "Use the accusative" is too simple a rule.

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Minä näin eilen hänet / kissan / tuon kissan. = I saw him / a cat / that cat yesterday. ("definite"/"indefinite")

Minä näin eilen nuo ihmiset. = I saw those people yesterday. ("definite" plural)

Minä näin eilen ihmisiä/hirviä/kummituksia. = I saw (some) people/moose/ghosts yesterday. ("indefinite" plural)

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Using the partitive with "nähdä" can also change the meaning from "see" to "happen to see; meet".

Minä näin häntä eilen. = I happened to catch a glimpse of him / met him yesterday.
Minä näin häntä baareissa. = I saw/met him (often) at bars.
Minä näin vanhempiani eilen. = I met/visited my parents yesterday.

[Jukka Aho]

Minun on pakko nähdä ihimisiä doesn't work, or does it?

No, Minun on pakko nähdä ihmisiä is OK. But it sounds rather like “I’ve got to see people!” (I have this innate need to go out and see people or get them visit me... otherwise I’ll go crazy!)

If you mean it more like “I have promised to meet a number of people” / “I have business with a number of people so I’m planning to see them today”, you would maybe go for Mun täytyy tavata pari ihmistä tänään, or something like that.

[PäähäniSattuu]

Ah, oh well, I don't really get the rule of the accusative on nähdä and tietää. To me näen sut in any case sounds a bit weird. Comes with practice I suppose.

Apparently nähdä, tietää and muistaa do go with the partitive in Estonian...