Ne que

Question

Hi can someone tell me the different meanings between these two sentences

elle n'a embrassé qu'Alexandre

elle n'a qu'embrassé Alexandre

and in an example given at the top of the page why the meaning was not explained within brackets like the other examples above and below it.

Nous n'avons regardé qu'un film.Should it of said Nous n'avons regardé qu'un film (and watched nothing else)

Accepted Answer

Hi Jeramy, 
You might want to have a look at my answer to a similar question posed by Chris  -
https://french.kwiziq.com/questions/view/what-is-the-meaning-of-aurelie-n-est-qu-allee-au-marche-1
Bonne Continuation!

Answer

Hi Jeramy,I only yesterday answered a similar question see here:-https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/questions/view/what-is-the-meaning-of-aurelie-n-est-qu-allee-au-marche-1#AnswerAddFormI would rather see a comment from one of the francophone staff ladies but I believe my answer is correct in this case.Perhaps you will find it useful to follow my logic in this above case and apply it to your query pending approval from a francophile.Jim

Answer

I have never run into the second version (elle n'a qu'embrasse Alex) in actual conversation. But it looks like this formulation limits the verbal (il a embrasse et RIEN D'Autre) rather than the object of the embrace (Alex and PERSONNE D'autre). Again I've never heard que used to limit the action - only que, in its usual position - to limit the object (COD). I hope this helps.

If I wanted to say "All I did was kiss Alex", I think I'd say would try "J'ai embrasse Alex, et rien de plus."

I would be interested in the input of other subscribers, especially C2s.