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To boldly go where no man has gone before

di nornen, 06 ottobre 2015

Messaggi: 20

Lingua: English

Vestitor (Mostra il profilo) 06 ottobre 2015 23:41:36

There are general rules though...infinitives can be, and are, split, but they generally remain within clauses:

'I'm going upstairs to hang (up) those four new pictures up, and tidy up the room.'

Bemused (Mostra il profilo) 07 ottobre 2015 07:09:33

RiotNrrd:I will happily split infinitives without thinking twice about it.

There really are no English "rules". There are guidelines, and there are people who mistake guidelines for rules.

Of course, violating some of these guidelines will make you sound like a yokel or worse, which is why people try to classify them as rules; it's just easier that way. But splitting infinitives isn't one of these, in any event.

It's like the singular they. It's been in wide use since the fifteen hundreds. Get used to it, it's time has come. Like, centuries ago. But I've heard at least one teacher tell me it's wrong.

But you know what? They were wrong.

On the other hand, ain't ain't makin' a comeback, even though, as every gleeful third grader has noted, it's in the dictionary*.

--------------------------------
* Third grade teachers haven't heard about the "no rules" theory. Well... they have. Probably a lot, actually. They just aren't putting up with any of that nonsense now sit down.
+1
There is no Academie l'Anglaise, no central body with any authority to say what is "right" or "wrong".
The language develops by consensus of the speakers.
Therefore nobody can tell you that you are wrong, all they can say is "That's not how it's usually said."
To which the answer is "That's your opinion, and I happen to disagree."

Miland (Mostra il profilo) 07 ottobre 2015 09:38:45

Actually we do have a Guardian of the English language. It is called the Teacher with the Wooden Ruler. That'll teach 'em to try to boldly go where no man has gone before. Hah! ridulo.gif

sudanglo (Mostra il profilo) 07 ottobre 2015 10:32:18

"Do not go sick into the nursery." You wouldn't say "go sickly,"
For the simple reason that sickly as a manner of going does seem to denote anything in the real world.

Tempodivalse (Mostra il profilo) 07 ottobre 2015 13:35:18

sudanglo:
"Do not go sick into the nursery." You wouldn't say "go sickly,"
For the simple reason that sickly as a manner of going does seem to denote anything in the real world.
"Go in a sick manner" - e.g., wheezing, sniffling, runny-nosedly ... Seems imaginable to me.

Bemused (Mostra il profilo) 07 ottobre 2015 22:01:08

Miland: ....Teacher with the Wooden Ruler....
Alas, another extinct species.
Nowadays teachers get disciplined for making kids sit in the corner.

sudanglo (Mostra il profilo) 08 ottobre 2015 10:27:01

Aŭdace iri, kie neniu homo antaŭe estis

Iri kien seems to frame it in terms of destinations, but a lot of the time they are just in space.
Neniu is no one (but aliens are individuals as well so 'no man' really means neniu homo

Tempodivalse (Mostra il profilo) 08 ottobre 2015 12:25:35

sudanglo:Aŭdace iri, kie neniu homo antaŭe estis
Mightn't this be better as Aŭdace iri tien, kie neniu homo antaŭe estis.

EldanarLambetur (Mostra il profilo) 08 ottobre 2015 12:53:53

sudanglo:Aŭdace iri, kie neniu homo antaŭe estis

Iri kien seems to frame it in terms of destinations, but a lot of the time they are just in space.
Neniu is no one (but aliens are individuals as well so 'no man' really means neniu homo
These points didn't occur to me when writing that blog post, thank you!

Miland (Mostra il profilo) 08 ottobre 2015 13:39:25

Another suggestion: kuraĝe esplori, kie neniu homo ĝis nun tion faris

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