[Grammar] ask sb to not V

[sitifan]

The government asks ALL people to NOT travel overseas. (quoted from a bulletin of the Grace Baptist Church, Taipei)
Is the above sentence acceptable to native speakers?

 

[tedmc]

It is okay to have a split infinitive but it is better to avoid it.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It is okay to have a split infinitive but it is better to avoid it.

Yup. Some sentences work better with a split infinitive, but this one would work either way. Saying "to not travel" puts more emphasis on not, which might be why the writer decided to split the infinitive.

So, yes, Sitfan, it's acceptable as written, but a lot of people would rather see not to travel.