045 SPLIT INFINITIVE, MEANING and DISCUSSION ON USAGE

What is split infinitive?

The barest form of verb without any conjugations for number, person and tense, is 'bare infinitive'.

The preposition 'to' + bare infinitive = 'to infinitive'.

The to-infinitive is like a compound word. The preposition 'to' and its object (normally noun, but in this case 'verb'), we cannot separate.

Example

'to come' : We cannot insert a word between the two. Thus, the usage 'to kindly come' becomes incorrect, according to traditional grammar, because the adverb 'kindly' splits (separates) the two elements of the 'to-infinitive'.

Not acceptable, according to traditional grammarians: "I request you to kindly come".

They suggest the following rewritten sentences:

"I request you kindly to come."

or

"I request you to come kindly."

MY PERSONAL VIEW AS BLOGGER- of course not binding on readers

*We can prefer to avoid an adverb that modifies the bare form of a verb which is an integral part of a 'to-infinitive'.

*English is a syntactic language. Meaning: Word order is important. Change of word order, may change, meaning.

*The best position for an adjective or an adverb, is, before the word it describes. The practice of 'split-infinitive' might have emerged following this principle. Reason: The adverb 'kindly' describes the verb 'come'. 'To kindly come', is hence, logical, but grammar does not permit.

*The split infinitive does not fit well in many sentences, and placing the adverb elsewhere gives a clearer meaning.

Examples from George Bernard Shaw's play, 'The Doctor's Dilemma'

1. He pats Ridgeon on the shoulder and goes out, turning for a moment at the door to look meditatively at Emmy.


Usage of 'to meditatively look at Emmy', would have been probably awkward.

2. They have just telephoned from the hospital that you are to come instantly--a patient on the point of death.

Rem:Usage of 'to instantly come' may be awkward.

3. I did not mean to behave badly.

Rem:Usage of 'to badly behave' may be awkward.

4. He completely loses his temper and begins to walk excitedly.

Rem: May be awkward to say 'to excitedly walk'.

*We have the second best practice of placing the adverb, after the verb it describes.

'I request you to come kindly.' does not result in an awkward construction, when the adverb is a 'complement' (completes the sentence). We shall suppose that there is another adverb, a time-adverb, at the end:

Example:
"I request you to come kindly tomorrow."

Here, though kindly is supposed to qualify the verb 'come', we get an impression that 'kindly' is qualifying 'tomorrow'.

Discussion of the first suggested sentence

"I request you kindly to come."

We get an impression, that the adverb 'kindly' is describing the verb 'request', whereas 'kindly' is intended for 'come'.

SUMMARY

We have to avoid 'split infinitive', if we wish to adhere to grammar.

We have to avoid awkward / ambiguous constructions, if we wish to concentrate on clarity.

I suggest that we can go for simpler constructions:

Example
"Please come tomorrow."

We can go for 'Could you please+ construction', if we wish to show utmost courtesy.

"Could you please come tomorrow?"

Some communicators use, slightly lengthy constructions such as:

"We shall appreciate if you will please come tomorrow."

or

"We shall be obliged if you will please come tomorrow."

Some communicators add the adverb 'greatly' to sound 'greater courtesy':

"We shall greatly appreciate..."
"We shall be greatly obliged..."
etc.