112 Modern English Only and If Only
straightforward semantic shift, I leave the ‘exceptive’ sense of only out of the
picture of the development of only given in Table 4.3.
We might account for the development of only from a focusing adverb to
conjunction/ pragmatic marker based on Traugott ’s ( 1995a ) cline, as discussed
in Section 1.4.1.1 :
clause- internal adverb > sentence adverbial > pragmatic markerThat is, a clause- internal adverb with narrow scope over the predicated event
becomes a sentence adverbial with wide scope in evaluating an entire proposi-
tion (frequently assuming a new syntactic position) and fi nally develops into
pragmatic marker with new pragmatic functions, further dislocated, and certain
morphosyntactic and prosodic constraints. Traugott ( 1995a ) sees the develop-
ment of these markers she discusses – besides , in fact , indeed – as involving
decategorialization , phonological reduction, increase in pragmatic functions,
generalization of meaning, increase in scope, and loss of syntactic freedom.
A prerequisite for movement down this adverbial cline is the development of
epistemic, evidential, and contrastive meanings.
The change in only from focusing adverb to conjunction/ pragmatic marker
bears strong similarities to Traugott ’s postulated development. A prerequisite
to the movement toward pragmatic meanings is the development of focusing
functions. Then there is further decategorialization of only from a focusing
adverb^18 to a conjunction. There is loss of syntactic freedom as only is fi xed
in initial position in the clause and increase in the scope of only as it comes to
evaluate the entire clause rather than the focused item. There is also divergence
(Hopper 1991 ), as only is retained as a focusing adverb in some contexts while
it acquires discourse- marking functions in others, and layering (Hopper 1991 )
as older, more grammaticalized adversatives such as but exist alongside the
newer only. The form also shows an increase in pragmatic (textual and interper-
sonal) functions. As a conjunction, only serves indisputable cohesive functions
within the text, and as pragmatic marker, only serves interpersonal functions in
18 Interestingly, some traditional grammarians have viewed focusing adverbs as sentence adver-
bials (see Curme 1931 : 135– 136; Poutsma 1905 : 292, who calls them “sentence modifi ers ‘par
excellence’ ”).
Table 4.3 The development of only
Old English Middle English Early Modern English
‘solely, uniquely’ (free Adv) exclusive (focus Adv) adversative (Conj)
Source: from Laurel J. Brinton, “‘The fl owers are lovely; only, they have no scent’: The evolution
of a pragmatic marker,” in Raimund Borgmeier, Herbert Grabes, and Andreas H. Jucker (eds.),
Anglistentag 1977. Trier, Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 1998, p. 26; reprinted with permission.