Man shot in head, but notices only 5 years later

[kwbMitel]

Is it just me or is the word "only" misplaced in the caption.

I would say only notices, not notices only.

Notices only 5 years later seems to imply that the duration of time was only 5 years as opposed to being longer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100824/ap_on_fe_st/eu_odd_germany_bullet_in_head

*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[Annihilannic]

I agree.

Annihilannic.

 

[KenCunningham]

Agree too I do.

The internet - allowing those who don't know what they're talking about to have their say.

 

[CajunCenturion]

Both "Man shot in head, but notices only five years later" and "Man shot in head, but only notices five years later" are grammatically correct. The meanings of the two sentences are different because of which word the adverb 'only' modifies. Only, as an adverb, should be placed nearest to the word that it modifies.

==> Notices only 5 years later seems to imply that the duration of time was only 5 years as opposed to being longer.
The placement of 'only' immediately prior to five years causes it to apply to the time frame, as you suggest. However, I don't think the intention was to imply that it was only five years as opposed to being longer. I think only is applied to the five years to underscore the fact that it actually took five years before being noticed. I think that was the author's intent.

==> I would say only notices, not notices only.
That's fine, but it would change the meaning of the sentence, causing only to apply to notices. That would mean that the only thing the man did was notice that he had been shot. It would mean that he didn't go to the doctor or engage in any other action. He only noticed. Again, while grammatically correct, I don't think that was the author's intent.

--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[hjgoldstein]

I don't think that the victim noticed that he had been shot at all. It was the intervention of an investigative medical procedure that drew the fact to his attention.

In the absence of the x-ray, he would have probably remained blissfully unaware of the bullet lodged in his scalp.

It is time for pacifists to stand up and fight for their beliefs.

 

[KenCunningham]

As I recall the story I think he was having some discomfort from what he thought was a cyst or similar. The moral of the story is to wear a tin helmet at any New Year gathering where guns might be involved (but it begs the question why anyone would fire a gun at such an event in any case).

The internet - allowing those who don't know what they're talking about to have their say.

 

[mjldba]

Lucky he is

 

[kwbMitel]

CajunCenturion. As to intent. I actually read the intent just fine and understood it as it was intended. That being said, I equally recognised what I felt to be an error.

Similar to saying "I could care less" (Which I hear all too often) What is said is understood to mean that the subject matters very little to whomever spoke it. However, the fine analysis reveals that being able to care less means that they actually care to some degree. This would not be consistent with what is commonly understood.

Frankly, I might have done away with only altogether as it is unnecessary and adds nothing to the content.

"Man shot in head but is unaware for 5 years"

Same number of words, clearing meaning.


*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[CajunCenturion]

No, there is no error in the headline. If fact, if you were to move the 'only' as you suggest in the original post, while maintaining the original semantic intent, then you would be introducing the grammatical error of a misplaced modifier.


--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[guitarzan]

(sorry for the botched TGML)

if you were to move the 'only' as you suggest in the original post, while maintaining the original semantic intent, then you would be introducing the grammatical error of a misplaced modifier.

Isn't that exactly the opposite of what you said earlier?

==> I would say only notices, not notices only.
That's fine, but it would change the meaning of the sentence, causing only to apply to notices. That would mean that the only thing the man did was notice that he had been shot. It would mean that he didn't go to the doctor or engage in any other action. He only noticed. Again, while grammatically correct, I don't think that was the author's intent.

To me, "notices only 5 years later" implies that 5 years isn't such a long time (not what the author intended). Where "only notices 5 years later" implies that it's surprising that it took so long to notice (which is certainly the author's intent)

I admit, I have no idea if the second way is grammatically correct or not...

 

[CajunCenturion]

No, it is not the opposite. If you move 'only' to in front of the verb 'notices', then 'only' modifies the verb, and that's grammatically correct provided your intent is to restrict the actions to just noticing. However, if you move 'only' to in front of the verb 'notices', yet still wish it to apply to the five years so as to retain the original semantic intent, then you've misplaced the modifier 'only'. That's the grammatical error.

To me, "notices only 5 years later" implies that 5 years isn't such a long time (not what the author intended). Where "only notices 5 years later" implies that it's surprising that it took so long to notice (which is certainly the author's intent)

I could be wrong, but I think that 'only' was meant sarcastically. Granted, that's much easy to hear than it is to read, but that's my thinking.

--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[guitarzan]

OK CC, now I understand your point.

At any rate, an awkwardly worded headline...

 

[kwbMitel]

CC - OK, accepting what you've said to be true (I'm not an expert on the subject) and that the original headline has no grammatical error but that my modification does.

I still read it as saying that it only took 5 years for him to notice (rather than longer), not that after 5 years he is only just now noticing. (Awkward sentence but trying to use the same words to convey 2 different meanings is hard for me)

Would you have written the same headline? If not, how would you have written it?

*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Sorry to be late to the party, but to me,
'Only notices 5 years later' correctly, I believe, establishes the fact that, surptrisingly, 5 years passed before he became aware of the shot, while
'notices only 5 years later'
implies that noticing in 5 years was sooner than you would expect him to notice which is the opposite of what is really meant.





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> 'Only notices 5 years later' correctly, I believe, establishes the fact that, surptrisingly, 5 years passed before he became aware of the shot, while
It does not. That statement means that the only thing the man did five year later was notice it.

The adverb 'only' applies to the word that comes right after it.


--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[CajunCenturion]

Here is another example which I hope clears it up.

He only judged on Monday. ==> All he did on Monday was judge.
He judged only on Monday. ==> Monday was the only day on which he judged.

==> Would you have written the same headline? If not, how would you have written it?
Man discovers bullet five years after being shot.


--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read
FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
But, how about:

I only saw you on Wednesday ( The only day I saw you , not the only day I saw anything)

I saw only you on Wednesday ( Just you no one else)






To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[kwbMitel]

How about notices only after 5 years?

This sounds much better to me.

*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
It would be better to avoid the only altogether:

Man shot in head, but does not notice for 5 years.


Or

Man unaware for 5 years that he had been shot in the head.






To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[kwbMitel]

Turkbear, you are entering dangerous ground by agreeing with my sentiments. Be warned.

*******************************************************
Occam's Razor - All things being equal, the simplest solution is the right one.