Correct usage of ばかり: 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを観ていたばかり


On a certain online correction site, my sentence:

> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを **観ていたばかり** 。

Was given many possibilities. Some people crossed out 「ばかり」 like 「観ていた ~~ばかり~~
」 in the following sentences so I'm inclined to think I might've been wrong:

> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを **観てばかりいた** 。  
>  
> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマ **ばかりを観ていた** 。  
>  
> 正直な話、最近はアメリカのドラマ **ばかり観ていた** 。

One of the answerers also wrote the same ending as I did though, so I'm
slightly confused:

> 正直、最近アメリカのドラマを **観ていたばかり** 。

Is there a reason why there's so many usages of 「ばかり」, and is one or more of
these more "correct" than the others or are they somehow arbitrary?




It actually has two meanings. When it is put after the predicate like your
original example, it means "just now", and it conflicts with `最近` "recent".
That is why your sentence was corrected.

> (?)正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを観ていたばかり。 (Meaning-wise odd)  
>  'Being honest, I have just now been watching American dramas recently.'

If you put it within the predicate phrase like the first three sentences of
your four examples below that, it means "only" or "exclusively". In this
second meaning, the focus of "only" moves depending on where you put it and
which part is accented.

> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを観てばかりいた。  
>  'Being honest, I have been exclusively watching American dramas.'  
>  I.e., "I have not done anything but watching American dramas."

> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマばかり(を)観ていた。
>

>> _Interpretation 1._  
>  'Being honest, I have been watching exclusively AMERICAN DRAMAS."  
>  I.e., "(I may have done activities other than watching something, but) I
> have not watched anything other than American dramas."

> > _Interpretation 2._  
>  'Being honest, I have been watching exclusively American DRAMAS."  
>  I.e., "(I may have done activities other than watching some American
> things, but) I have not watched any American things other than dramas."

> > _Interpretation 3._  
>  'Being honest, I have been watching exclusively AMERICAN dramas."  
>  I.e., "(I may have done activities other than watching dramas, but) I have
> not watched any dramas other than American ones."

I have no idea why you have the last sentence. It is almost the same as your
original sentence, and does not improve anything.




It actually has two meanings. When it is put after the predicate like your
original example, it means "just now", and it conflicts with `最近` "recent".
That is why your sentence was corrected.

> (?)正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを観ていたばかり。 (Meaning-wise odd)  
>  'Being honest, I have just now been watching American dramas recently.'

If you put it within the predicate phrase like the first three sentences of
your four examples below that, it means "only" or "exclusively". In this
second meaning, the focus of "only" moves depending on where you put it and
which part is accented.

> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマを観てばかりいた。  
>  'Being honest, I have been exclusively watching American dramas.'  
>  I.e., "I have not done anything but watching American dramas."

> 正直に言うと、最近アメリカのドラマばかり(を)観ていた。
>

>> _Interpretation 1._  
>  'Being honest, I have been watching exclusively AMERICAN DRAMAS."  
>  I.e., "(I may have done activities other than watching something, but) I
> have not watched anything other than American dramas."

> > _Interpretation 2._  
>  'Being honest, I have been watching exclusively American DRAMAS."  
>  I.e., "(I may have done activities other than watching some American
> things, but) I have not watched any American things other than dramas."

> > _Interpretation 3._  
>  'Being honest, I have been watching exclusively AMERICAN dramas."  
>  I.e., "(I may have done activities other than watching dramas, but) I have
> not watched any dramas other than American ones."

I have no idea why you have the last sentence. It is almost the same as your
original sentence, and does not improve anything.

