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Re: Barbie! No, really.
Posted By: Darien, on host 71.161.144.78
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2006, at 15:24:38
In Reply To: Re: Barbie! No, really. posted by Stephen on Saturday, February 11, 2006, at 15:09:23:

> For all the people offering the "best" way to split infinitives, my point was simply that splitting infinitives is grammatical.
>
> How to do it well is a matter of style and form, not of grammar. There are any number of clunky, awkward, inelegant constructions that are also perfectly grammatical.
>
> It simply drives me crazy when people (not saying those offering suggestions are among those people) try and claim their stylistic preferences as hard-and-fast rules of grammar.

My point, in turn, was simply that, even if it WERE a hard-and-fast rule of grammar, sometimes caring about the rules crosses the border into foolishness anyhow. If you can't figure out how to say what you're trying to say without violating some rule or other, just say it and move on. There are better things to do with one's time than agonise over that. :-}

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