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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread To infinitive split... #179704 10/20/2008 2:00 AM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 618 Australia doc_comfort addict doc_comfort addict Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 618 Australia Hi all, it's been too long. A quickie though. Which, if either, is more correct? 1) To string together a sentence b) To string a sentence together Specifically, is b) a split infinitive? Thanks Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: To infinitive split... doc_comfort #179705 10/20/2008 2:57 AM Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 876 western NY twosleepy old hand twosleepy old hand Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 876 western NY Although I will likely be overruled, I say they are both fine. Neither one splits the infinitive. In order to qualify, you must separate the verb from "to", as in "to always go". :0) Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: To infinitive split... twosleepy #179706 10/20/2008 3:06 AM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 618 Australia doc_comfort addict doc_comfort addict Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 618 Australia Thanks for the speedy reply. I'm inclined to agree but something just feels wrong about separating "string" from "together" in the way b) does. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: To infinitive split... doc_comfort #179708 10/20/2008 3:48 AM Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 390 कहीं &... latishya enthusiast latishya enthusiast Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 390 कहीं &... I would say both are fine. I would also ask, " what is a split infinitve"? To that question the only correct answer is, "a stupid, wrong-headed and utterly pointless proclamation which belongs in English to exactly the same extent that a bacon sandwich belongs in a mosque or synagogue". Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: To infinitive split... latishya #179713 10/20/2008 11:05 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Somebody back in the 18th century cobbled together the rule about split infinitives out of whole cloth. There is no good reason in English to avoid splitting the infintive completely and no reason to default to not splitting the infinitive. I would say that if you're going to have a default position make it that of splitting the infinitive, avoiding it only when to split gives an awkward construction. As for 1) and b) I would say that either is OK but that, to me, b) sounds better. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: To infinitive split... Faldage #179756 10/23/2008 2:39 AM Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky Jackie Carpal Tunnel Jackie Carpal Tunnel Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 11,613 Louisville, Kentucky doc--awwright, you better have a darned good excuse! Please PM me, sir! Not that I'm not delighted to see you and all, but. Though I suppose I could at least give you a hug before I start fussing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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