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Rare Split Infinitive
Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 7:20 pm
by Slava
I'm not that much of a pedant to argue over the split infinitive, but this one caught my eye as it has
four words between the to and the verb.
"...appear to for the first time acknowledge...".
Source here. First sentence.
Re: Rare Split Infinitive
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:00 am
by gailr
That just cries out for parentheses.
Re: Rare Split Infinitive
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:24 pm
by Perry Lassiter
I choose to (very deliberately) be a pedant on split infinitives, based more on clarity than history. If I want to very carefully and thoughtfully make a distinction, I'm willing to personally split the heck out of one. The principle also applies to other long verb forms, having not always been so careful with them as one might possibly be.
Re: Rare Split Infinitive
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:29 pm
by Slava
That just cries out for parentheses.
Or even a pair of commas.
Re: Rare Split Infinitive
Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 4:21 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Not to quite be pair season here.