# Please explain why you believe we should not split infinitives.. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088 "2009-03-19T22:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/21 "2009-03-20T15:31:02Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Well, I would hope it’s obvious that I agree with what Bill Walsh (the author of the site) wrote. He explains it better than I could, and pretty much covers what I would say. I thought it would be illuminating. > > You know, fighting ignorance and all that. With a cite from the copy chief for national news at the _Washington Post_ to back me up. > > (Are you going to ding **glee** for simply agreeing with **RealityChuck** , too? :dubious: ) Upon reflection I have decided I was jerkish in my orginal response to you, Scarlett, and in penance am teleporting you a pie. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/22 "2009-03-20T15:42:30Z")
::hangs head:: Here’s a shame-faced confession: I’m not even sure what a split-infinitive _is_. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/23 "2009-03-20T15:52:04Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > ::hangs head:: Here’s a shame-faced confession: I’m not even sure what a split-infinitive _is_. I’m going to be lazy: [QUOTE=Merriam-Webster] **Infinitive** : a verb form normally identical in English with the first person singular that performs some functions of a noun and at the same time displays some characteristics of a verb and that is used with to (as in _I asked him to go_) except with auxiliary and various other verbs (as in _no one saw him leave_) \*\*split infinitive: \*\* an infinitive with to having a modifier between the to and the verbal (as in _to really start_) [/QUOTE] Some [del]persons with metallic rods stuck up their asses[/del] grammarians and English teachers feel that split infinitives should never, ever be allowed, because they were not used in Latin. Of course, they were disallowed in Latin because in that language the infinitive was a single word, not a two-word phrase. Those who object to this are generally the same sort of asshole who insist that a sentence may not end with a preposition, which is, of course, a bit of tomfoolery up with which I will not put. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/24 "2009-03-20T15:54:33Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > ::hangs head:: Here’s a shame-faced confession: I’m not even sure what a split-infinitive _is_. It’s based on the English infinitive being the word “to” and a verb, e.g., “to go”. You split it by putting an adverb (or the like) between “to” and the verb, e.g., “to boldly go”. Pedants think that should be “boldly to go” or “to go boldly”, or else the sentence should be rewritten to get around the problem. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/25 "2009-03-20T16:00:24Z")
To be fair, there are English teachers these days who come down on split infinitives not because there’s anything inherently wrong with them but because it’s all part of the “how to sound educated” package. That is, some English teachers are aware that many grammar “rules” exist (or are flogged, anyway) not to improve raw communication of meaning, but to establish social class, and think that every kid should be at least shown how to impersonate the educated classes, should said kid wish to do so for their own benefit in class-sensitive contexts. Like job interviews. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/26 "2009-03-20T16:01:23Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > It’s based on the English infinitive being the word “to” and a verb, e.g., “to go”. You split it by putting an adverb (or the like) between “to” and the verb, e.g., “to boldly go”. Pedants think that should be “boldly to go” or “to go boldly”, or else the sentence should be rewritten to get around the problem. Stop being pithier than me, **Giles**. If I wanted more pith, I’d eat an orange. 🆒 I feel obliged to point out that **Manda Jo** has given one of the two good reasons NOT to split infinitives. If you’re writing “to quickly move,” you should probably change it to “to race,” “to run,” “to fly,” or some such. But when there’s no good synonym for the adverbial phrase–like “to boldy go”–splitting infinitives is oft the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/27 "2009-03-20T16:05:16Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Stop being pithier than me, **Giles**. If I wanted more pith, I’d eat an orange. > 🆒 Are you taking the pith? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/28 "2009-03-20T16:07:04Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Are you taking the pith? “You’ll pay for this, Superman! Oh, how you’ll pay!” ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/29 "2009-03-20T16:38:10Z")
Owing to the precedents of usage, when everything else is equal, I prefer not to split infinitives. However, that is simply a matter of style, not grammar or construction, and therefore in all cases where an unsplit infinitive would be the least bit unwieldy, I split without hesitation. For example, I approve of the split infinitive in “to boldly go where no man has gone before” for no better reason than that it makes the phrase iambic. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/30 "2009-03-20T17:28:53Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Upon reflection I have decided I was jerkish in my orginal response to you, Scarlett, and in penance am teleporting you a pie. :: **Scarlett** cleans whipped cream off her glasses :: Just kidding! We’re cool. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/31 "2009-03-20T17:37:18Z")
Although I’ve never really made a huge effort to avoid splitting infinitives, the moment when I decided I could be completely unrepentant is when I saw on a newscast that the _Oxford English Dictionary_ had finally given its seal of approval (or, perhaps, seal of not-worth-the-effort-to-complain-anymore-since-everyone-does-it). ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/32 "2009-03-20T17:39:27Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > (Are you going to ding **glee** for simply agreeing with **RealityChuck** , too? :dubious: ) I don’t mind being dinged if there’s a prospect of pie at the end of it. > [@Khadaji](#): > > ::hangs head:: Here’s a shame-faced confession: I’m not even sure what a split-infinitive _is_. I am going **to quickly explain**. Split infinitives are the obsession of people who also say “never end a sentence with a preposition”, which (pace Churchill) is “something up with which I will not put”. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/33 "2009-03-20T18:15:20Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > :: **Scarlett** cleans whipped cream off her glasses :: > > Just kidding! We’re cool. 🆒 Sorry. That was supposed to arrive ON YOUR DESK, topside up. Stupid dwarven transporter tech. :: teleports Scarlett replacement pie :: ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/34 "2009-03-20T19:25:59Z")
:: Hmmm, how many pies do you think I could get him to send me? :: But really . . . French silk, yum! Lunch is covered. Thanks! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/35 "2009-03-20T19:42:05Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > :: Hmmm, how many pies do you think I could get him to send me? :: > > But really . . . French silk, yum! Lunch is covered. Thanks! 😃 :: shrugging :: Like I’m not stealing them from the local bakery in the first place. What’s the port of having a teleporter if you’re not going to use it for crime? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/36 "2009-03-20T20:29:29Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > :: shrugging :: > > What’s the port of having a teleporter if you’re not going to use it for crime? Well, you won’t be late for work, and all that money you save on gas could be donated to orphanages. I thought you were getting out of the Evile Overlord schtik. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/37 "2009-03-20T20:36:43Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Well, you won’t be late for work, and all that money you save on gas could be donated to orphanages. > I thought you were getting out of the Evile Overlord schtik. Evil Overlords don’t steal pies. That’s too petty. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/38 "2009-03-20T20:56:16Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Evil Overlords don’t steal pies. That’s too petty. “The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions.” No, no, wait. “Practice Makes Perfect.” damn. “A Long Journey Begins With a Single Step.” Er, “Small Things…” May I get back to you on this? ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/39 "2009-03-20T23:05:01Z")
I’m a business writer. My vote: split away. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088/40 "2009-03-21T00:59:19Z")
If I remember my LING 101 correctly, Latin is a case-marking language that doesn’t have strict syntax rules the way that English does. You can shuffle the words in a Latin sentence in a whole lot of ways without changing its meaning, so saying “you have to use this word order because that’s what they do in Latin” doesn’t make too much sense. (At least I think it was Latin.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-why-you-believe-we-should-not-split-infinitives/490088.md?page=3)