Split Infinitive 04 what it is said today.

In the previous articles (Split Infinitives 02, Split Infinitives 03) we saw how the grammarians of the early 20th century condemned the usage of split infinitives, and ruled them out as incorrect. How is it received today?

I looked up some dictionaries, grammar books and sites of today, and they do have sections on split infinitives and explain the construction. However, they do not dismiss the construction completely, and some even say that there is no justification to the incorrectness, and the placement of the adjectives can convey difference in meanings.

The form of the verb with to, with an adverb placed between to and the verb, as in She seems to really like it. Some people consider this to be bad English style. (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary)


If the verb is a 'to'-infinitive, you usually put adjuncts after it, or after the object or complement if there is one.
Some people do not put adverbs between the 'to' and the infinitive, but this use is not considered correct by some speakers of English. (Collins Cobuild English Grammar)


Some people believe that split infinitives are grammatically incorrect and should be avoided at all costs.
But there's no real justification for their objection, which is based on comparisons with the  structure of Latin. People have been splitting infinitives for centuries, especially in spoken English, and avoiding split infinitive can sound clumsy. It can also change the emphasis of what's being said. The sentences:
          You really have to watch him. [i.e. 'It's important that you watch him']
doesn't have quite the same meaning as:
          You have to really watch him. [i.e. 'You have to watch him very closely']
(Oxford Living Dctionaries)


I think language is a natural object, and it constantly changes in time and in environment. The grammatical correctness is not something that is forced onto you but an instinct that comes from spoken language, whether you 'feel' the construction well-formed or not. Grammarians in the early 20th century pursued prescriptive grammar, whereas today, it is descriptive, much more faithful to the actual language.

Split Infinitives 03 George Bernard Shaw's opinion

Our formidable George Bernard Shaw, the writer who admired and respected Henry Sweet, showed a great disdain in the ungrammatical usage of the language. Here is a letter from Shaw to the Chronicle sarcastically, with contempt and hatred, claiming to replace the columnist of the paper. The main reason, because he uses split infinitive.

If you do not immediately suppress the person who takes it upon himself to lay down the law almost every day in your columns on the subject of literary composition, I will give up the Chronicle. The man is a pedant, an ignoramus, an idiot and a self-advertising duffer... Your fatuous specialist... is now beginning to rebuke 'second-rate' newspapers for using such phrases as 'to suddenly go' and 'to boldly go'. I ask you, Sir, to put this man out... without interfering with his perfect freedom of choice between 'to suddenly go', 'to go suddenly' and 'suddenly to go'... Set him adrift and try an intelligent Newfoundland dog in his place. (Letter to the Chronicle, 1892)

Split infinitive is solecism enough to utterly infuriate a writer and to bitterly destroy a man's career.

Split Infinitive 02 Fowler and Fowler's opinion

I had never really been aware that Split Infinitive was regarded as grammatically incorrect. If the verb is a 'to'-infinitive, adjectives and adjuncts are put after it, and to insert it between the particle and the verb is considered by some English speakers as incorrect.

eg.  Vauxhall are attempting to really break into the market.

I seldom split infinitives, but as a non-native English speaker, I find it sometimes difficult to correctly put the modifiers in the appropriate place to convey the accurate meaning. I guess I am one of the 'guileless casual splitters' who irritate the grammar Nazis.

I have at home the third edition of "The King's English" (1931) written by Fowler and Fowler. It is a book about the English grammar, the dos and don'ts, but the substantial part of the book talks about the don'ts, citing actual phrases from newspapers and presenting how appalling the grammar of the contemporary journalists are.

Well, I found a section 'Split Infinitive'.

This grammar topic was more serious than I had imagined. It seems that the old school authorities in the early 20th century condemned the Split Infinitive. Here's what Fowler and Fowler say about 'Split Infinitives'

The 'split' infinitives has taken such hold upon the conscience of journalists that, instead of warning the novice against the curious superstition that the splitting or not splitting makes the difference between a good and a bad writer. The split infinitive is an ugly thing, as will be seen from our examples below; but it is one among several hundred ugly things, and the novice should not allow it to occupy his mind exclusively.  (The King's English)

Split infinitive is 'ugly'.

Here are the examples that are given in the book.

The time has come to once again voice the general discontent.  (Times)
It should be authorized to immediately put in hand such work.  (Times)
We were not as yet strong enough in numbers to seriously influence the poll.  (Times)

Are they that ugly?
I feel they are acceptable in today's English.

to be continued

Split infinitive

There is the scene from Two Weeks Notice (2002), in which Harvard educated lawyer Lucy Kelson (Sandra Billock) gives a feedback to the letter read by George Wade (Hugh Grant), a public face of some big company. It is actually a love letter by the latter.

The letter goes as follows:
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George Wade: I need your advice on one last thing, then I promise you will never hear from me again. You see, I've just delivered the first speech I've written entirely by myself since we met, and I think I may have blown it. I want to ask your thoughts. Okay? Then I will read it to you. I'd like to welcome everyone on this special day. Island Towers will bring glamour and prestige to the neighborhood and become part of Brooklyn's renaissance. And I'm very pleased and proud to be here. Unfortunately, there is one fly in the ointment. You see, I gave my word to someone that we wouldn't knock down this building behind me. And normally, and those of you who know me or were married to me can attest to this, my word wouldn't mean very much. So why does it this time? Well, partly because this building is an architectural gem and deserves to be landmarked and partly because people really do need a place to do senior's water ballet and CPR. Preferably not together. But mainly because this person, despite being unusually stubborn and unwilling to compromise and a very poor dresser, is... she's rather like the building she loves so much. A little rough around the edges but, when you look closely, absolutely beautiful. And the only one of her kind. And even though I've said cruel things and driven her away, she's become the voice in my head. And I can't seem to drown her out. And I don't want to drown her out. So, we are going to keep the community center. Because I gave my word to her and because we gave our word to the community. And I didn't sleep with June. That's not in the speech, that's just me letting you know that important fact. What do you think?

Lucy Kelson: I have to get back to work.

George Wade: Right. Right, yes. Sorry to disturb you. Congratulations, again, Polly.
[leaves]

Lucy Kelson: Aside from the split infinitive that was somewhere in the middle, that speech was actually quite perfect, wasn't it?

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In response to his highly romantic speech, Lucy replies that it was fine except the use of "the split infinitive." Split infinitive is a grammatical construction in which an adverb comes between the "to" and the infinitive verb that follows it such as:

--- to deeply think about it

--- to finally come to the conclusion
--- to reluctantly admit

These construction is thought as incorrect, especially in the official academic arena.

On closer inspection, however, Wade's speech doesn't contain split infinitive!

The point is this. Lucy, who is the master of composition, wanted to find in his writing some mistakes, but ended up finding nothing but a perfect one (grammatically and emotionally). Reference to "split infinitive" is reflection of her feeling that she wants to hide kind of embarrassment.      

Why? Because split infinitive is the typical grammatical mistakes which native people often make.

To be continued...