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Literary notes about certainly (AI summary)

The word "certainly" functions in literature both as an instrument of emphasis and a marker of assuredness, yet its usage varies widely depending on tone and context. In declarative statements, it reinforces certainty and conviction, as in asserting truths about nature or society [1], [2]. In dialogues, it often punctuates affirmations or denials, adding a layer of immediacy or sincerity to a character’s voice [3], [4], [5]. At times, it introduces a contrast or a subtle nuance, delineating when one is committed to an opinion or when caution is warranted [6], [7]. Regardless of the setting, whether in philosophical discourses [8] or in everyday exchanges [9], "certainly" consistently serves as a linguistic tool to project clarity and emphasis.
  1. Do not sell a single ton; let not a weed grow, and the land will certainly improve.
    — from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson
  2. The compass most certainly marked north.
    — from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
  3. Did I report the incident to General MacArthur? Certainly not.
    — from The American Occupation of the Philippines 1898-1912 by James H. Blount
  4. I have certainly never heard any one say so. SOCRATES:
    — from Meno by Plato
  5. “Certainly; how has he failed in politeness?”
    — from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova
  6. It is certainly true that the “thinking bayonet” is by no means to be decried.
    — from Aesop's Fables by Aesop
  7. Since, therefore, I, the person deceived, should be, even if I were deceived, certainly I am not deceived in this knowledge that I am.
    — from The City of God, Volume I by Bishop of Hippo Saint Augustine
  8. Certainly the idea that the soul of a dying person may be transmitted to his successor is perfectly familiar to primitive peoples.
    — from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer
  9. I am not expected at the Bachelors’, so I shall certainly go there.
    — from An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

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