Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006

In our last episode, <1163766847.596016.50290@h54g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
the lovely and talented siddarthnarayan@rediffmail.com broadcast on
alt.usage.english:

"Just" may mean "merely" or "only" as well as "exactly" (among many
other senses), and when it does not mean "fair, equitable," it may
be nearly meaningless --- or at least, untranslatable.

The first example indicates a bigger house *is* a luxury:

1 Now, a bigger house is not just ("only, merely") a luxury (but also an
extravagance).

The second may assert that a bigger house *is* *not* a luxury:

2  Now, a bigger house is just ("exactly") not a luxury.

But whether 2 is understood as intended is likely to depend on
context.

Somewhat less likely to be ambiguous is:

3  Now, a bigger house just ("exactly") is not a luxury.

None of these is so clear as when "just" is omitted altogether:

4 A bigger house is not a luxury now.

"Just" is a pet word of some speakers and writers who use it frequently
without good cause.

Argues that a house is not a luxury.  This would make sense in speech
if someone had just argued that a bigger house is a luxury.  However a
clearer way of putting it would be "Now, a bigger house is not a
luxury."  The just is not really required but does add emphasis to the
not; probably spoken as "Now, a bigger house is JUST not a luxury".

This argues that a bigger house is not only a luxury but it is also
something else.  For example "A bigger house is not just a luxury, it
is also required for our large family".

Either way the addition of the just makes it confusing in text.  A
speaker may use just in either of the above sentences.

On Nov 17, 12:34 pm, siddarthnara...@rediffmail.com wrote:

Argues that a house is not a luxury.  This would make sense in speech
if someone had just argued that a bigger house is a luxury.  However a
clearer way of putting it would be "Now, a bigger house is not a
luxury."  The just is not really required but does add emphasis to the
not; probably spoken as "Now, a bigger house is JUST not a luxury".

This argues that a bigger house is not only a luxury but it is also
something else.  For example "A bigger house is not just a luxury, it
is also required for our large family".

Either way the addition of the just makes it confusing in text.  A
speaker may use just in either of the above sentences.

I wouldn't say either one to convey that meaning.  I would
say one of the following:

   A bigger house is not now just a luxury.

Or better:
 
   Nowadays a bigger house is not just a luxury.

Or, in some dialects of American English

   Anymore a bigger house is not just a luxury.

But the choice between "just not" and "not just" depends
upon which you mean.  They're both acceptable English but
they have different meanings.  "It's not just a luxury" is
equivalent to "It's not only a luxury" or "It's not simply a
luxury".  

"Just not a luxury" is equivalent to "Let's face it:  It's
not a luxury" or "Whatever people may tell you, it's in fact
not a luxury".