unacceptable

[artart]

1) Doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable for John.
2) For John, doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable.
3) It is unacceptable for John to do nothing for a whole week.


4) Doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable to John.
5) To John, doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable.
6) It is unacceptable to John to do nothing for a whole week.


Which means:
a) John finds it unacceptable that he should do nothing for a whole week.
which means:
b) John finds it unacceptable that anyone should do nothing for a whole week.
and which means:
c) It is unacceptable that John should do nothing for a whole week.

[linguoboy]

Which means:
a) John finds it unacceptable that he should do nothing for a whole week.
which means:
b) John finds it unacceptable that anyone should do nothing for a whole week.
and which means:
c) It is unacceptable that John should do nothing for a whole week.

1) Doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable for John.

(a), (b)

2) For John, doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable.

(a)

3) It is unacceptable for John to do nothing for a whole week.

(c)

4) Doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable to John.

(a), (b)

5) To John, doing nothing for a whole week is unacceptable.

(b)

6) It is unacceptable to John to do nothing for a whole week.

(b)

It gets complicated, of course, since (b) implies (a): If John doesn't think it's acceptable for anyone to do nothing for a week, then presumably he includes himself in that "anyone". (2) most clearly restricts the scope only to John. (1) and (4) are both a bit more ambiguous in this respect, with (4) being the weakest.