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I have read the following text some time ago:

[...]
Only here can you enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.
[...]

Is Only here can you correct? I mean, it's not a question but it is formatted as it was. If it's correct, how, where and when can I use it?

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  • I'm a little confused--what makes this a question formation? Are you talking about the use of "can you"?
    – user10893
    Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 22:32
  • Yeah, I mean... In formal speaking words can't just be inverted, can they?
    – Rodrigo Siqueira
    Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 22:34
  • 3
    Can they not be inverted? I beg to differ. Hit you with my hyperbaton, I shall.
    – Robusto
    Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 22:35
  • 1
    Is that an early light-sabre?
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 23:30

3 Answers 3

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This is a case of subject-auxiliary inversion, all right. But that doesn't make it a question; there are other uses for that rule.

One of these uses is when a negative adverbial of time, space, or circumstance (as opposed, for instance, to adverbials of manner, purpose, or instrument) is preposed to the beginning of a sentence. In that case, following the preposed adverbial, the first auxiliary verb moves to follow it, and to precede the subject.

  • At no time has he ever been arrested. (negative adverbial of time)
  • *At no time he has ever been arrested.
    but
  • *Without a knife did he manage to cut the bagel. (negative adverb of instrument)
  • Without a knive he managed to cut the bagel.
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This is just a reversal of word order, not a question.

Only here can you ...

just means that "here" is the only place you can [do whatever].

If you were to use a different word order, the phrase would mean something different.

Only here you can ...

would have the effect of turning "only" into a sentence adverb with the approximate meaning of "except" . . . .

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  • … and “You can … only here” buries the lead, and “You can only … here” is ambiguous.
    – Scott - Слава Україні
    Commented Jan 23, 2013 at 20:28
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You're right in thinking it a peculiar construction.

There is no problem if we leave out the locative and the limiting modifier:

You can enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Inserting the locative at the end of the sentence separates it too widely from the first verb:

??You can enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth here.

Positioning it at the front is the answer:

Here, you can enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Adding various limiting modifiers seems idiosyncratic:

Even here, you can enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Here alone can you enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Only here can you enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Compare

Nowhere else can you enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

and contrast

Everywhere else, you can enjoy dazzling entertainment, get the thrill of your life on the exciting rides, and be face-to-face with some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

I assume that constructions with these restricted conditions follow the pattern of J Lawler's negative-condition constructions. Nowhere and nowhere else are obviously closely related, for instance.

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