kì í ṣe ... nìkan

Not Only

Level 4

Kì í ṣe + focus + nìkan + ni + clause; an addition can identify the other item.

How It Works

Put kì í ṣe before focused material and nìkan, “only,” after it. The following ni links the focus to the clause. This denies that the relevant people or things are limited to the named item; it does not exclude that item.

With a focused singular subject, the clause resumes it with ó: Kì í ṣe Bísí nìkan ni ó dé says that Bísí was not the only arrival. With object focus, the actor follows ni: Kì í ṣe ìwé nìkan ni mo rà says a book was not the only purchase.

A second clause with tún, “also,” makes the addition explicit. Retain the ordinary focus frame, including the appropriate subject pronoun and verb tone. Removing nìkan changes the scope: the resulting denial can reject the selected item rather than its exclusiveness.

Examples (3)

  1. Kì í ṣe Bísí nìkan ni ó dé; Délé tún dé.

    Bísí was not the only person who arrived; Délé also arrived.

    The first clause has subject focus and retains ó.

  2. Kì í ṣe ìwé nìkan ni mo rà; mo tún ra pẹ́ńsùlù.

    I bought not only a book; I also bought a pencil.

    Object focus leaves mo as the buyer; rà has the focus-frame tone.

  3. Kì í ṣe aṣọ nìkan ni Délé rà; Délé tún ra bàtà.

    Délé bought not only clothes; Délé also bought shoes.

    The additional purchase makes the denied restriction explicit.

How It Connects

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kì í ṣe ... nìkanLevel 4Not Only

Learn This First

Deny the restriction to one item, not its inclusion.