to not seek

[nyggus]

"The decision to not seek compensation from the 16-year-old boy was made in agreement with..."

Should it be "to not seek" as it is or "not to seek"? I am pretty sure I should know that as there must be a strict rule, quite a basic one. And till now I have been sure it should be "not to seek", so finding the former was quite a amazement for me. Hence my question.

Best,
Nyggus

[Barb_D]

It's a rather old rule to never split an infinitive . Nonetheless, it's still clung to by some.

Personally, I read "to not seek" and "not to seek" as the same. Sometimes I can "hear" a difference between asking someone not to do something and asking them to not-do, but it's often subtle.

I would advise you to try to avoid splitting the infinitive in your own writing (because you may be read by people who still hold that rule infallible), but not to worry about it when you read it elsewhere.

[a writer, not a teacher]

[nyggus]

OK, thanks, Barb_D. I will not worry and will not use the split infinitive wherever possible . I think sometimes there's a much stronger desire, and even there might be a need, to use it than it is in this particular situation and others similar to it.

Nyggus