Infinitive Quote by Raymond Chandler
“When I split an infinitive, God damn it, I split it so it will stay split.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Big Sleep, 1939
Splitting an infinitive is a deliberate grammatical rebellion to keep it broken.
In simple terms: He intentionally breaks a rule for effect.
Key Takeaway
Embrace purposeful rule-breaking.
Themes
language
creativity
rebellion
Mood
playful
defiant
Type
literary
humorous
When to use this quote
- writing
- editing
- teaching
- public speaking
Key Concepts
grammar
stylistic choice
Questions to Reflect On
- Is breaking rules ever justified?
- What impact does deliberate error have?
A Different Perspective
Some may view it as careless, not artistic.
![“Hammett was the ace performer... He is said to have lacked heart; yet the story he himself thought the most of [The Glass Key] is the record of a man's devotion to a friend. He was spare, frugal, hard-boiled, but he did over and over again what only the best writers can ever do at all. He wrote…” quote by Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/882/raymond-chandler-629_dashiel-hammett_hammett-was-the-ace-performer-he-is-said_20171.jpg)
![“He [James Cain] is every kind of writer I detest...a Proust in greasy overalls, a dirty little boy with a piece of chalk and a board fence and nobody looking.” quote by Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/614/raymond-chandler-629_cain_he-james-cain-is-every-kind-of-writer-i_41185.jpg)
