sometimes だけ gets mildly confusing..?

Question

If someone says それだけ、食べないでください, does it mean: 1. Please don't eat only that [eat other things too!] or 2. [You can eat anything you like but] only that, please don't eat it. ---------- What about それだけ、たべてください? Does it mean: 1. Please eat only that [and don't eat anything else]. or 2. [I don't really care if you eat anything else but] only that, please eat it.

Answer 1

Hello! だけ means "just, only," so それだけ would mean "only that." It can be used with affirmative and negative sentences and is relatively free of judgement. Other words meaning "only, just" may have a negative/critical tone.

それだけ、食べないでください - Only that, please do without eating = Please don't eat that (but eat everything else).

それだけ、食べてください - Only this, please eat = Please eat only this (but not anything else).

Other examples:

田中さんだけ、来ています。Only/Just Tanaka is here.

いや、聞いてだけ。Oh no, I'm just asking.

日本語の宿題だけしていません。Only/Just the Japanese homework isn't done.