tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8811866763970314328.post7463000173782713780..comments2024-02-19T07:51:46.118-05:00Comments on Throw Grammar from the Train: Who moved her 'only'?Janhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03173219179480606941noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8811866763970314328.post-34147477041747920132010-01-06T11:22:31.554-05:002010-01-06T11:22:31.554-05:00And at that Kilpatrick left out (5) John hit Peter...And at that Kilpatrick left out (5) John hit Peter in his only nose and (6) John hit Peter in the nose only. I forget where I originally saw the full list of six, possibly Follett/Barzun.<br /><br />Leo Rosten, the author of <i>The Joys of Yiddish</i> and many other books, gives a related example of how shifting the sentential stress on the (Yiddish-influenced) sentence "Two tickets to her concert I should buy?" gives seven subtly different implications:<br /><br />"<i>Two</i> tickets to her concert I should buy?" (Meaning: "I'm having enough trouble deciding if it's worth one.")<br /><br />"Two <i>tickets</i> to her concert I should buy?" ("You mean to say she isn't distributing free passes? The hall will be empty!")<br /><br />"Two tickets to <i>her</i> concert I should buy?" ("Did she buy tickets to my daughter's recital?")<br /><br />"Two tickets to her <i>concert</i> I should buy?" ("You mean to say they call what she does a 'concert'?")<br /><br />"Two tickets to her concert <i>I</i> should buy?" ("After what she did to me?")<br /><br />"Two tickets to her concert I <i>should</i> buy?" ("Are you giving me lessons in ethics?")<br /><br />"Two tickets to her concert I should <i>buy</i>?" ("I wouldn't go even if she gave me a complimentary!")John Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452247999156925669noreply@blogger.com