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On the question of split infinitives I think that Strunk and White have sound advice to give: trust your ear. In their view, "the split infinitive is another trick of rhetoric in which the ear must be quicker than the handbook. Some infinitives seem to improve on being split, just as a stick of round stovewood does." (What a nice analogy.) Their example is: "I cannot bring myself to really like the fellow." They regard this sentence as more relaxed and natural than the un-split alternative, and I agree. In addition, splitting the infinitive calls attention to the adverb, which can be a desired effect. My example: "...to boldly go where no man has gone before..."
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Splitting infinitives
Verbist 06/23/2000 6:21 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
ammelah 06/23/2000 6:43 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
AnnaStrophic 06/23/2000 6:48 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
AnnaStrophic 06/23/2000 6:50 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
ammelah 06/23/2000 7:10 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
tsuwm 06/23/2000 8:58 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
Verbist 06/24/2000 12:22 AM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
Bingley 06/24/2000 4:19 AM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
Bingley 06/24/2000 1:30 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
paulb 06/24/2000 12:29 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
patatty 06/27/2000 7:43 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
Bingley 06/28/2000 4:33 AM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
paulb 06/28/2000 12:01 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
jmh 06/28/2000 8:52 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
Bridget 06/29/2000 9:50 AM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
tsuwm 06/29/2000 6:02 PM ![]()
Re: Splitting infinitives
Jackie 06/28/2000 1:15 PM
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