Split infinitives are, in fact, a common aspect of English usage, and have been since before the time of William Shakespeare. The earliest record of someone prohibiting the usage was in 1762 when Robert Lowth forbade them, on the grounds that as a split infinitive was not permissible in Latin, it should not be permissible in English. The first grammarian to dispense with this rule was [Henry Fowler]? in 1908, and since then most texts of grammar deem them unobjectionable.
The prohibition on split infinitives is even more surprising when one observes that there are a number of expressions in English that are weakened considerably by avoiding the split infinitive. The phrase "I plan to really enjoy the party" is more natural and rhythmic than alternatives such as "I plan really to enjoy the party" and "I plan to enjoy really the party". The final possible alternative "I plan to enjoy the party, really" actually possesses a slightly different meaning. NB: The (otherwise perfectly acceptable)variation "I really plan to enjoy the party" is not an legitimate alternative in terms of this particular discussion, as the adverb has been relocated from "enjoy" to "plan".
Other expressions can have their meaning altered entirely by avoiding the split infinitive. The sentence "He failed 'to completely understand the book" suggests that the understanding is partial and not complete, whereas "He failed completely to understand the book" implies that no understanding was achieved at all.
Without a doubt the most famous split infinitive of the present day is from Star Trek; "...'to boldly go where no-one has gone before." Here the infinitive verb form of "go" is "to go", and the adverb "boldly" has been inserted within, creating the split.
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