Grammar

Some thoughts on de-regularizing grammar. In this case I am replying to an argument that promotes split infinitives.

I agree with much of what you say, but I am still troubled by a certain qualm. Grammar comprises rules; style comprises choices. I think the distinction should stay that way. People do not want to have tomake choices about grammar unless they are sophisticated writers, a small minority of all writers. Most writers have their hands full with choices, such as to what they are trying to say, what word to use, who their audience is, et al. . The last thing they need or really want is to have to choose among competing grammatical rules. So, I teach them, and strictly, never to split infinitives. I hope they then grow up to be writers who can choose when to break that rule.

At the end of your fine letter here, after "1." what you present does not contain an infinitive. What you have there is a gerund (exercising) and an adverb.

In your second example couldn't the problem rest more with diction than with grammar? What if you make a stylistic change and substitute another word for "really" (which, in itself, means little except to contradict "falsely" or "in his imagination" or "virtually"). Let's try "much harder" or "with much more effort" or "more intensely" (dropping harder).

Although there is some truth when people say the rule of not splitting is just a slavish imitation of Latin, it is worth pointing out that infinitives are one word in French, in Italian, in Spanish, and in German, and in that immediate ancestor of modern English, Anglo-Saxon. Furthermore, infinitives are frequently employed as substantives, as subjects or objects or appositives. Thus, although they comprise two words in English, the two words act, syntactically, as though they were one. (In this paragraph I refer only to present active infinitives.)

After saying all this, I do admit I occasionally split infinitives. The recent deliquescence of the rule, however, has resulted, in my experience, in lots and lots of people getting it backwards: they deeply believe that they should ALWAYS split infinitives. That's what the flexibility and largesse of some teachers has given us. Let's practice more tough love here. Bach had to learn his scales, Michelangelo the rules of perspective, Beethoven his rules of counterpoint (which his teacher, Haydn, said he learned slowly). Michael Jordan had to learn to dribble, and Pavarotti how to sing. Learn the rules. Then, if you have talent and energy, do to them what Beethoven did to Haydn's sonata form and Jordan did to approaching the basket.