properenglish

I only have eyes for you.  I have eyes.  I only have eyes.  This means that I possess the eyes.  That is the single thing in my involvement with my eyes.  I have them.  To say that only have them implies that I do not use them in any way–  I only have them.  You know the song.  You also know what the singer really means.  He means that the only person he sees is the object of his affection.  That may implicit but it is wrong.  OK. 

The misplaced ONLY has got to be the most pervasive erroneous use of the English language.   I hear or read it every day.  I only have five dollars.  I only like chocalate icecream cream.  It goes on and on.  GET IT Right! — I have only five dollars.  I like only chocalate icecream.  I have eyes only for you.

Think about what it is you are saying and make sure to put the only in its proper place.  This should annoy everyone whose intelligence is assaulted everyday by people who do not care enough about what the’re conveying to please the people they are addressing

You might think it is a moot point.  We have to start somewhere.  Don’t lower your standards by insisting it doesn’t matter.  If it is sufficiently important to state then it is worth stating correctly.

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