only

only

The position of only is one of the major unresolved topics of discussion in English usage. The upshot is that logical position, i.e. association with the word to which only most closely refers, is not always consistent with naturalness, which generally favours a position between the subject and the verb. Fowler (1926), in a long article on the subject, made a case for allowing ‘illogical’ positioning in a sentence such as He only died a week ago, which is a great deal more natural and stylistically satisfactory than He died only a week ago. Equally acceptable are the following examples of actual usage:

• I was…made to attend a Catholic businessmans luncheon (where I only got wine by roaring for it) —Evelyn Waugh, 1958

• Those days, you only applied to one college —New Yorker, 1986

• He says he only took the job because the neon sign always cheered him up —Julian Barnes, 1991

• I only wanted to work with vocalists —BBC Popular Music Reviews, 2004 [OEC].

In written English, the logical position of only should be respected when serious (rather than notional or theoretical) ambiguity would otherwise result, especially in contexts such as legal language in which precision is more important than a pleasing style:

• The public interest is properly served only where companies pursue the traditional goal of profit maximisation —J. E. Parkinson, 1993.

In general usage, the most natural position of only is where it always has been, between the subject and its verb, and invariable insistence on logical position sacrifices naturalness to pedantry.