Two Jobs, One Pattern
に対して does two unrelated things, and telling them apart is the lesson.
1. Directed at a target. An attitude or action aimed at someone.
- 客に対して失礼な態度を取った。(He was rude toward the customer.)
2. In contrast to. Two things set against each other.
- 兄が静かなのに対して、弟はよく喋る。(The older brother is quiet, whereas the younger talks a lot.)
Which reading applies is decided by what follows: an attitude verb gives sense 1, a contrasting clause gives sense 2.
Against にとって
The pair learners mix up most:
| Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 私にとって | from my standpoint — how it seems to me |
| 私に対して | directed at me — what was aimed my way |
にとって takes a judgement (大切だ, 難しい). に対して takes an action or attitude.
Clauses Need の
A verb or adjective clause takes の before に対して:
- 安いのに対して、品質は高い。
に対する — Before a Noun
To modify a noun, use に対する:
- 環境に対する関心(interest in the environment)