for someone / to someone

[Kumiko-jk]

Hello,

I'm new here, and this is my first post! :wink:
I have a problem how to use for / to + someone correctly in English sentences.

*******************
A. It's very important for students to study English every day.

B. It's important for doctors to know that what patients need.

C. It's important to me that he reads my novels.

Those sentences are all from dictionaries.
I'd like to know if I can use 'for' with the example C as a replacement.

Could you please tell me how I should choose 'to' and 'for' correctly.... ?
Many thanks in advance.

Kumiko

[Casiopea]

Welcome.

for, Benefactive: the entity that benefits form the action.
to, Goal: the entity towards which the activity is directed.

A. It's very important for students to study English every day.
Students will benefit if they study English.

B. It's important for doctors to know that what patients need.
Doctors will benefit if they know what patients need.

C. It's important to me that he reads my novels.
That he reads my novels is important to me (the goal)

D. It's important for me that he reads my novels.
I will benefit from his reading my novels.

All the best, :D

[blacknomi]

Thanks, Cas. :D

And Kumiko-jk! Welcome to UE.

[Francois]

B. It's important for doctors to know that what patients need.
Doctors will benefit if they know what patients need.

I would say that the patients will benefit most from their doctor's acuity ;) Furthermore, it's more like a prerequisite than an advantageous extra ;)

FRC

[Taka]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

It's important for me that he reads my novels.

Then what is the difference between that one and this?:

To me, it's important that he reads my novels.

I don't think the benefactive-vs-goal theory works here.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Taka

Then what is the difference between that one and this?:

To me, it's important that he reads my novels.

I don't think the benefactive-vs-goal theory works here.

I don't get what you mean. Sorry. :?

[Taka]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

I don't get what you mean. Sorry. :?

You said:

Originally Posted by Casiopea

for, Benefactive: the entity that benefits form the action.
to, Goal: the entity towards which the activity is directed.

then:

It's important for me that he reads my novels.

is about benefits whereas:

To me, it's important that he reads my novels.

is about a goal.

I don't think those are different in that way. More important, as far as I remember, technically the term "benefactive" doesn't necessarily mean something about benefits. It simply means "movement towards or for someone."

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Taka

You said:

then:

It's important for me that he reads my novels.

is about benefits whereas:

To me, it's important that he reads my novels.

is about a goal.

I don't think those are different in that way.

It would help, I think, if you could provide me with your understanding of the semantics of this sentence:

To me, it's important that he reads my novels.

Originally Posted by Taka

More important, as far as I remember, technically the term "benefactive" doesn't necessarily mean something about benefits. It simply means "movement towards or for someone."

Sorry, Taka. I sincerely don't get what you mean, especially the part about "benefactive" meaning "movement towards". Would you offer a few sources, specifically sources dealing with thematic roles.

All the best, :D

[Taka]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

Sorry, Taka. I sincerely don't get what you mean, especially the part about "benefactive" meaning "movement towards". Would you offer a few sources, specifically sources dealing with thematic roles.

Here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benefactive

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Taka

Here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benefactive

Sorry What am I supposed to do when I get there? This is your topic, not mine, so please do the leg work. 8)