In English, the structure of certain sentences can be confusing, especially when it comes to using ‘it’ with a following phrase, such as ‘It is understandable for him to be angry.’ In this article, we will explore the meaning of this sentence and why it doesn’t translate exactly as ‘彼にとって怒っていることは理解できる’ (‘It is understandable for him to be angry’) as one might expect based on the use of ‘for’.
1. Breaking Down the Sentence
In the sentence ‘It is understandable for him to be angry’, the structure may seem a bit different from what you would expect in a typical ‘for’ phrase. The sentence follows a structure where ‘it’ is the subject, ‘understandable’ is the complement, and the phrase ‘for him to be angry’ functions as the object. It is important to understand that ‘it’ is a dummy subject in this context, meaning the sentence does not refer to a specific noun, but instead uses ‘it’ to introduce the clause.
When we say ‘for him to be angry,’ the phrase is explaining that the reason for his anger is understandable. The sentence doesn’t imply ‘for him’ in the sense of ‘his perspective’—but rather, ‘it is understandable that he is angry.’
2. Why ‘For’ Is Used Differently
In your question, you mentioned that ‘for’ is usually used in the structure ‘for someone to do something,’ meaning ‘to do something is… for someone.’ This structure typically shows a relationship where the action directly affects the subject. However, in the sentence ‘It is understandable for him to be angry,’ the ‘for him’ introduces the person who is affected by the action, not as the one taking the action directly. The sentence is essentially stating that ‘it makes sense that he is angry.’
In contrast, saying ‘for him to be angry’ doesn’t directly translate to ‘彼にとって怒っていることは理解できる’ (‘for him, being angry is understandable’) because the ‘for him’ in the English sentence focuses on the idea that his anger is understandable rather than making it about his perspective of the action.
3. The Importance of Dummy Subjects in English
In English, the use of a dummy subject like ‘it’ is common in sentences where the true subject is a clause or a verb phrase. In this case, ‘it’ acts as a placeholder while the real subject is the entire idea of ‘for him to be angry.’ This construction is often used to convey more abstract ideas, such as feelings, situations, or states of being, which are difficult to specify with a concrete noun.
For example, ‘It is important to study for exams’ uses ‘it’ as a dummy subject, while the actual subject of the sentence is the idea of studying. This construction allows for a smoother flow in English and makes the sentence sound more natural.
4. Conclusion: Understanding the Difference
In summary, the sentence ‘It is understandable for him to be angry’ is grammatically correct, and the use of ‘for him’ does not indicate a direct translation of ‘his perspective.’ Instead, it introduces the clause that explains why his anger is understandable. This structure is common in English when we want to express an idea without using a concrete noun as the subject. Understanding this subtle difference helps improve your comprehension of English sentence structure and how abstract ideas are expressed.
By focusing on how ‘it’ and ‘for’ are used in sentences like this, you can gain a deeper understanding of English grammar and sentence construction.
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