Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : SI Grammar and Spelling Lab -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wizzer who wrote (1562)	9/9/1998 7:41:00 AM
From: Rambi	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 4711

We discussed the split infinitive here some time ago but I'm too lazy to try to find the references. If memory serves, several of us felt that it was an illogical result of the Latin form which can't be split and so serves no real purpose in English. Fowler's seemed to accept the use of adverbs between the participle and the verb without quibbling too much. I liked this: Avoid splitting infinitives whenever possible, but do not suffer undue remorse if a split infinitive is unavoidable for the natural and unambiguous completion of a sentence already begun. (Burchfield, The Spoken Word)

To: Wizzer who wrote (1562)	9/10/1998 1:28:00 AM
From: Dayuhan	Respond to of 4711

Wizzer, <<I thought that I should have done better on the English portion, so for every novel I read for the next 6 months, I looked up every word that I did not know or was unsure of.>> I agree that the sentence is not specifically faulty, but it might be better put. My own rendition might be: I wanted to do better on the English portion. I read many novels in the next 6 months; if I found a word I did not know, or was unsure of, I looked it up. I should note that I have been accused, probably with reason, of overusing the semicolon. <<I was also told by an English teacher of mine, that a sentence could never start with "Because". I have never agreed with her assertion.>> I don't absolutely agree with the assertion, but if I did start a sentence that way I would certainly give it a good, hard, look, and ask myself if it could be better. But, as has been noted before, I'm a bit obsessive (nicer word than anal) about it. Steve