What's the difference here?

Question

For the question "Je suis resté cinq jours à Mykonos, mais ________ à Paris", I was marked incorrect for answering "je ne suis que resté trois jours". The accepted answer was "je ne suis resté que trois jours". How does placing "que" before or after "resté" change the emphasis or meaning of this statement? "But I stayed only three days in Paris" vs "But I only stayed three days in Paris". I cannot see the distinction that makes one form wrong and the other right.

Accepted Answer

Hi Gilberts,
So what is being restricted?   The verb rester or the noun jours?
The lesson explains the restriction is on the word immediately preceded by "que" and the point to be emphasised is that the number of days is being restricted not the verb in this case.
It is very tricky, I agree  --  we stayed only or we only stayed (we could have stayed longer but chose not to)
What is desired is to point out is that we stayed only...... therefore "resté que trois jours"
Hope this helps.
Bonne Journée
Jim

Answer

You can’t see the difference in English, but that is not the point from which to judge French sentences. As Jim notes, in French it is the duration - ‘only 3 days’ that is clearly expressed;  and it does not mean ‘only stayed’ (and did nothing apart from staying) in Paris. English nowadays doesn’t adhere as strictly to these “rules” of placement of ‘only’.

Answer

I agree. So much more I could be learning. I can't tell the difference in english!

Answer

I agree. I understand that there is a distinction in French - but even with the explanations I can't see any way to distinguish it in English.    For me, its a 50/50 bet!   I'm not complaining, I know that's how it is in French, but I think its always going to be a 50/50 bet for me.  In English "I stayed only three days in Paris" means exactly the same thing as "I only stayed three days in Paris".  If you tell me which phrase you "want" - I can place the ne..que appropriately, but I can't guess the emphasis from the way the sentences are described.  Oh well, let's hope immersion eventually fixes this for me!