What does ただ mean in this context, following a verb and before ひとり?


> 怒られるタイプの男子に囲まれている **ただ** ひとりの怒られるタイプの女子。  
>  I'm surrounded by boys who are the "getting scolded" type (but?) I'm the
> only girl _of that sort_.

Does ただ mean 'but' in this context? If so, when/how should I use it. How, for
example, does it differ from けど?




When `ただ` appears directly before a numeral + quantifier pair, like in the
phrases `ただひとり` or `ただひとつ`, it usually has this meaning:

> 数量・程度などがきわめて少ないさま。たった。わずかに。「ただ一人だけ生き残る」
>
> (二-③ in 明鏡国語辞典)

I think it corresponds to the word 'only' in your translation, as part of
`ただひとり`. I don't think it means 'but' here. There isn't any conjunction in the
original Japanese noun phrase – `怒られるタイプの男子に囲まれている` is a relative clause
modifying `（ただひとりの怒られるタイプの）女子`.




When `ただ` appears directly before a numeral + quantifier pair, like in the
phrases `ただひとり` or `ただひとつ`, it usually has this meaning:

> 数量・程度などがきわめて少ないさま。たった。わずかに。「ただ一人だけ生き残る」
>
> (二-③ in 明鏡国語辞典)

I think it corresponds to the word 'only' in your translation, as part of
`ただひとり`. I don't think it means 'but' here. There isn't any conjunction in the
original Japanese noun phrase – `怒られるタイプの男子に囲まれている` is a relative clause
modifying `（ただひとりの怒られるタイプの）女子`.

