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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar

Only

Does the position of "only" affect the meaning of a sentence such as "This will only happen after Sunday" or "This will happen only after Sunday" ? If not, are both forms (a) correct and (b) elegant ?
  

Top answer

My feeling is that in conversation they would usually be equivalent, but on a posted sign or in a public announcement, the second form would be more restrained and hence more polite. Putting the "only" closer to the beginning of the sentence slightly increases the degree of insistence involved, especially if the "only" is stressed. " If you were script-writing for a Texan rancher, you might use the former, but if you were writing lines for the butler in an Agatha Christie play, you might prefer the latter.

— Bratannia

  • My feeling is that in conversation they would usually be equivalent, but on a posted sign or in a public announcement, the second form would be more restrained and hence more polite.
  • Putting the "only" closer to the beginning of the sentence slightly increases the degree of insistence involved, especially if the "only" is stressed.
  • " If you were script-writing for a Texan rancher, you might use the former, but if you were writing lines for the butler in an Agatha Christie play, you might prefer the latter.
  • " Choices for each quote: Bush.
  • Blair.
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1 Answers
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My feeling is that in conversation they would usually be equivalent, but on a posted sign or in a public announcement, the second form would be more restrained and hence more polite. Putting the "only" closer to the beginning of the sentence slightly increases the degree of insistence involved, especially if the "only" is stressed. There is a slight degree of rawness and American-ness about "Th
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