Antedating of "Split Infinitive"

Joel S. Berson Berson at ATT.NET
Sat Dec 27 14:16:48 UTC 2008


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

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