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JungKim Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Only + inversion

It's from a correspondent's report in NBC's Nightly News:
"And an embarrassing but admitted fact: police have been no match for them. Only tonight this show of force seems to be calming things down, at least here."

Why was it that inversion didn't occur, as in "Only tonight does this show of force seem to be calming things down, at least here."?

The video for the quoted portion starts at 46 seconds (after a 30-second commercial):
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/44081731#44081731
  

Top answer

JungKim Why was it that inversion didn't occur, Inversion is not always mandatory; it is merely a common occurrence with some fronted adverbials.

— Mister Micawber

  • JungKim Why was it that inversion didn't occur, Inversion is not always mandatory; it is merely a common occurrence with some fronted adverbials.
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12 Answers
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JungKimWhy was it that inversion didn't occur,
Inversion is not always mandatory; it is merely a common occurrence with some fronted adverbials.
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Thanks, Micawber.
How would you distinguish the OP from the following example then?
"Only at night do bats leave their cave."
According to BBC, it's not possible to say "Only at night bats leave their cave."
BBC's explanation is http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservi
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In your NBC's Nightly News quote above, 'only' means 'but; however'. It is not a negation.
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Could you please watch the Nightly News video by clicking the link above?
("Only tonight" starts at 46 seconds into the video.)
After watching it, please let me know if you still think that 'only' there means 'but; however'.
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JungKim please let me know if you still think that 'only' there means 'but; however'.
Ah, no; it means 'finally', to my mind.

From an online dictionary: in the final outcome or decision: You will only regret your harsh words to me.
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So, do you mean you changed your mind about the meaning of "only" after watching the clip?

The "only" in your example (You will only regret your harsh words to me.) is also found in the following sentences:
You shouldn't eat that. It will only make you sick.
The large number of people who came to help only added to the confusion. '
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JungKim do you mean you changed your mind about the meaning of "only" after watching the clip?
Yes, from the intonation.
JungKim, however, the "only" is located right before "tonight", so I don't understand how the OP's "only" is the same type of "only" as in your example.
I see no problem. Evidently, it is more frequently
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In your example, if "only" is fronted for emphasis, I think that inversion is required, as in:
Only will you regret your harsh words to me.
This is because the uninverted form would change the meaning of "only", as in:
Only you will regret your harsh words to me. (Here, "only" is considered to be modifying "you".)

So, I can only conclude that, in your renewed in
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JungKimAccording to your renewed interpretation, do you now think that inversion is in order in the OP?
No.
JungKimIf not, please let me know how the "only" can be fronted without inversion in the OP?
I don't think it can be with that meaning.
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JungKim:, however, the "only" is located right before "tonight", so I don't understand how the OP's "only" is the same type of "only" as in your example.
Mister MicawberI see no problem. Evidently, it is more frequently before verbs.
This comment of yours I do not agree with, and here's why:

The reason why the "only
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