Posted by John Lambert on April 06, 2002 at 22:45:28 from 24.84.34.133:
In Reply to: Re: Nevertheless..... posted by andy clayton on April 06, 2002 at 14:13:08:
Andy,
BANG! BANG! Missed again. You're absolutely right about the inherent
absurdity of English grammar. I teach English to Asian students and can
certainly sympathize with their struggles. Chinese, for instance, has a
simple logical system of grammar and my students wonder why English is
so complicated. Well, that's Latin for you. I have been conditioned to
reacting whenever I spot one (which is every day now). "To not go" seems
like a deliberate attempt to split an infinitive to me.