Only 12-15-03

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="042d05a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Big Ring Media Team, Inc.</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Big Ring Media Team, Inc."><B>home</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="043d2123.jpg"> <div> Click on this link to return to <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Word Watch by Subject">Word Watch by Subject</A>.</div> <div> Click on this link to go to <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Word Watch by Date">Word Watch by Date</A>.</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Only 12-15-03</I></div> <div> "Only" is like a troublesome dinner guest; its conduct depends in large part upon where it's seated. See if you can discern the difference in meaning in the following two sentences:</div> <div> We stock only the world's finest widgets.</div> <div> We only stock the world's finest widgets.</div> <div> The first sentence says that our company has widgets in stock. Not just any widgets. The world's finest widgets. We stock other things as well, but when it comes to widgets, we have only the best.</div> <div> The second sentence says all we have in stock is the world's finest widgets. No widget parts; if your widget needs servicing or an overhaul, you'll have to shop elsewhere. Neither do we stock non-widgets. No doohickeys. No thingamabobs. Only widgets.</div> <div> As a rule, "only" should be seated nearest the thing it modifies. In the first sentence, "only" is near "the world's finest widgets." In the second sentence, it's near "stock." Hence the shift in meaning.</div> <div> While other guests can freely mingle (or mingle freely), "only" behaves best when seated in the right spot.  Keep this in mind as you plan your writing to avoid embarrassing misunderstandings.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>