Rare Split Infinitive

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Slava
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Rare Split Infinitive

Postby Slava » Fri Aug 16, 2013 7:20 pm

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.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

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gailr
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Re: Rare Split Infinitive

Postby gailr » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:00 am

That just cries out for parentheses.

Perry Lassiter
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Re: Rare Split Infinitive

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:24 pm

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.
pl

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Slava
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Re: Rare Split Infinitive

Postby Slava » Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:29 pm

That just cries out for parentheses.
Or even a pair of commas.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Perry Lassiter
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Posts: 3333
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:41 pm
Location: RUSTON, LA
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Re: Rare Split Infinitive

Postby Perry Lassiter » Sat Aug 17, 2013 4:21 pm

Not to quite be pair season here.
pl


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