Position on USC's Offensive Line Important, Position of Adverbs Also Critical

At six feet five inches tall and three hundred five pounds, the University of Southern California's All-American tackle Sam Baker stands, and crouches imposingly. But he's also a thinker and inspirer, as superior modern lineman must be. Coach Pete Carroll (see earlier entry) says of Baker, "We get great leadership from Sam, and his tenacity and savvy carry over to the other guys." Thus, it disappoints that Baker has sustained a lingering leg injury.

Line coach Pat Ruel recently said, "(Baker) will only play if freshman Butch Lewis gets hurt." "Only" as an adverb in this position clearly modifies the verb "play." However, does the placement indicate that coach Ruel will not play anyone else on the line if Lewis is hurt? It is not absolutely clear. A worse way to express the thought would have been to say that Baker only will play if Butch Lewis gets hurt. Same problem, indicates yet more firmly that Baker will be the sole man on the line. This would put an unnatural burden on the USC offense.

"Only" is defined in the Oxford Mini Dictionary as without anything or anyone else; and that is all. Although SC has been formidable the past few years, this year, the offense has sputtered. Baker alone on the line, as good as he is, would appear to give opposing teams a distinct advantage.

Perhaps Ruel should have placed the adverb after the verb and before the conditional clause if freshman Butch Lewis gets hurt, which would clearly connect the idea of when Baker would play. Baker will play only if Butch Lewis gets hurt, rather than Baker only will play if Lewis gets hurt. That is, take care to leave the helping verb "will" right next to the verb "play."

It is true, I'm quibbling here, but just to make a point: while adverbs are the most versatile of the parts of speech in that they may be placed almost anywhere syntactically, (how the words are arranged in a sentence, where they are placed) they should be placed where they insure exquisite, unambiguous meaning. Otherwise, at times, arguably fuzzy meanings may occur. It may not always matter, yet, it may matter at times in ways that distract the reader from clear meaning.

Again, we understand logically what Coach Pat Ruel intended. The point is that when something is expressed in writing, the meaning may be construed differently from what the speaker intended. As a writer, become sensitive to this concept, especially where adverbs are concerned.