Antedating of "Split Infinitive"

[Joel S. Berson]

At 12/26/2008 08:36 PM, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>split infinitive (OED 1897)
>
>1890 _Scots Observer_ 13 Sept. 439 (British Periodicals
>Collection)  The split infinitive ('to solemnly curse') is a captain
>jewel in the carcanet.

And having been forced to look up "carcenet" in the OED, it may be a
useful postdating.

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org