What is the difference between に限って and だけ?


Both に限って and だけ seem to be used with the meaning of "only".

For instance, both phrases seem to have the same meaning:

>   * このスーパーは土曜日 **だけ** 配達する。
>
>   * このスーパーは土曜日 **に限って** 配達する。
>
>

Is there any difference between them and their usage?




> _Both に限って and だけ seem to be used with the meaning of "only"._

Yes, they do. But I'd avoid to use に限って in this way (especially when I speak)
because it's prone to be misunderstood as its second idiomatic senses (loaded
a lot), that are:

**With negative sentence** : "the last _something_ (to V)", often advocative.

> 彼に限ってそんなことするわけない！ _He is the last man to do such a thing!_

**With positive sentence** : "on the particular _time_ ", " _time_ of all
_times_ ", in mortifying situations.

> 今日に限って目覚ましが鳴らなかった。 _My alarm clock failed me today of all days._

An alternative is に限り, which is almost interchangeable with だけ, only sounds
quite a bit formal or businesslike.




> _Both に限って and だけ seem to be used with the meaning of "only"._

Yes, they do. But I'd avoid to use に限って in this way (especially when I speak)
because it's prone to be misunderstood as its second idiomatic senses (loaded
a lot), that are:

**With negative sentence** : "the last _something_ (to V)", often advocative.

> 彼に限ってそんなことするわけない！ _He is the last man to do such a thing!_

**With positive sentence** : "on the particular _time_ ", " _time_ of all
_times_ ", in mortifying situations.

> 今日に限って目覚ましが鳴らなかった。 _My alarm clock failed me today of all days._

An alternative is に限り, which is almost interchangeable with だけ, only sounds
quite a bit formal or businesslike.

