Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:34 am
#1825865
It is speculated that the rule against split infinitives developed around the beginning of the English Renaissance, as English grammarians, trained to look to Ancient Greek and Latin as ideal languages, took a closer look at their own mother tongue. In Greek and Latin, it is impossible to split infinitives because these languages never use their infinitives together with a preposition. At a time when European intellectuals saw Classical culture and language as more perfect than their own, this represented a powerful precedent. Some language historians see this as the deciding factor. For example, the American Heritage Book of English Usage (1996) states: “The only rationale for condemning the construction is based on a false analogy with Latin.”
I think this has run its course now. Fun while it lasted!
(Quote from http://www.compassrose.com/grammar/spli ... itive.html)
kanga liked this
Autocorrect is so frustrating. It's always making me say things I didn't Nintendo.