Word meaning in particular

I know «in particular» means «above all.» I am interested to know if «in particular» could be also used to mean the same thing as «to be more specific.» (Definitions in dictionaries don’t settle the problem for me)

For example, in the following sentence (which I made up for the purpose of asking this question):

«He owns a summer house in France. ‘To be more specific,’ it has two stories (or storeys) and 7 rooms in all.»

Could «in particular» replace «to be more specific» in this case?

Thank you, Aidanriley.

Yes, I knew it is used to mean «particularly» and «specifically.»
I understand «particularly» to mean the same as especially.
And I understand «specifically» means the same in addition to «to be more specific.»

But I don’t know if «particlarly» could replace the «To be more specific» in the example I gave earlier. Could it?

No, I wouldn’t use it in the above sentence. It can sound perfectly fine in other sentences, though.

If you’ll take this example:
I have three dogs; particularly, two boys and one girl.

Does it, Kay? You may well be right, but I couldn’t think of an example.

I expect that company to treat me well. In particular, I demand that they pay me $20,000 more than what I earned at my last job.

I expect that company to treat me well. In particular, I demand that they pay me $20,000 more than what I earned at my last job.

To me, this usage means «specifically,» not «above all.»

To me, this usage means «specifically,» not «above all.»

I can see how you could interpret this differently. To me, using it this way means that I want other things from the company, but that the $20,000 increase in my salary is the most important of these things.

I can see how you could interpret this differently. To me, using it this way means that I want other things from the company, but that the $20,000 increase in my salary is the most important of these things.

Owlman, in this context, why would you use «in particular» rather than «above all» or «most of all» or another unambiguous phrase?

Bella, I probably would use «above all» or «most of all» when making such a statement. However, I was trying to present an example in which Kay Champs’ use of «in particular» could work. As I have heard native speakers use this expression with this meaning, I recognize its possibility. I sometimes worry that we native speakers are too quick to proscribe one expression or another without considering that some of them may have multiple meanings. Although dictionaries are our single best sources for determining those meanings, they don’t always list all the possibilities.

Understood!

It came as a kind of shock to learn that «in particular» and «particularly» is used to cite one example without pacing a particular emphasis on it rather than «above all.»

Talking of dictionaries, they omit giving definitions about «—ly» or just say «in a — manner.» This is sometimes insufficient.

I know «in particular» means «above all.» I am interested to know if «in particular» could be also used to mean the same thing as «to be more specific.» (Definitions in dictionaries don’t settle the problem for me)

For example, in the following sentence (which I made up for the purpose of asking this question):

«He owns a summer house in France. ‘To be more specific,’ it has two stories (or storeys) and 7 rooms in all.»

Could «in particular» replace «to be more specific» in this case?

Yes, it can be used that way and often is.

I disagree with owlman, and I also think your original example, Kay, is unnatural, and that the second sentence does not really relate to the first one. I would not use «in particular» in this way. Instead, I concur with what Cagey said about using «in particular»:

Cagey said:

I would expect «in particular» to introduce a specific example or examples of a larger group. For example:

He owns several houses in nice locations. The house he owns in France, in particular, has a wonderful view of the vineyards.​

I thus might say «he likes to spend time in the south of France, and in particular enjoys visiting his summer house there.» I also might say «All of his five vacation houses are comfortably large, in particular the house in southern France, which has seven rooms.» However, to use «in particular» in the original example makes no sense to me, as we are only talking of one house.

Initially, I was interested to know if «in particular» could mean «to be more specific.» Now I have difficulty accepting the phrase «in particular» not including the meaning of «above all.»

I found a definition by Webster:
in particular = in distinction from others.
Does this not imply there is some reason that one particular example taken up has a reason for being taken up rather than it being just one example given without any particular reason.

The follwing examples are from English-Japanese dictionaries and the accompanying translations all seem to support my understanding.

*Corn grows well in the Midwest, particularly in Iowa.
examine babies’ internal organs, particularly the liver, in much greater detail.

*Japan, in particular, is accused of «dumping» products in the U.S. at prices that are below the cost of manufacture.

*The downturn in Japan and South Korea in particular was negative for fine wool demand prospects.

Initially, I was interested to know if «in particular» could mean «to be more specific.» Now I have difficulty accepting the phrase «in particular» not including the meaning of «above all.»

I found a definition by Webster:
in particular = in distinction from others.
Does this not imply there is some reason that one particular example taken up has a reason for being taken up rather than it being just one example given without any particular reason.

The follwing examples are from English-Japanese dictionaries and the accompanying translations all seem to support my understanding.

*Corn grows well in the Midwest, particularly in Iowa.
examine babies’ internal organs, particularly the liver, in much greater detail.

*Japan, in particular, is accused of «dumping» products in the U.S. at prices that are below the cost of manufacture.

*The downturn in Japan and South Korea in particular was negative for fine wool demand prospects.

Kay, I think you’ve done a good job here of providing evidence that «particularly» or «in particular» can have the meaning «above all» in various sentences. I would have no problem in reading your second sentence as: «Japan, above all, is accused of ‘dumping’ products in the US at prices that are below the cost of manufacture.»

Thank you owlman5 for your confirmation.

You say,Thomas, that in the sentence «Japan, in particular, is …,» Japan is taken as a «particularly good» example. This means that Japan is not just one example. This is exactly the way I understand the phrase «in particular» is used.

Thus, the phrase «in particular» is placed immediately after a word or words it is intended to modify to imply what precedes is worth taking up as an example among others because it is outstanding for some reason above the other examples not mentioned.