Sample 1: “He disclosed that politicians who helped Adeosun forged her NYSC certificate were the same people who leaked the secret information to the media.”(Same people who helped her forged NYSC papers were ones who leaked the fact, Otitoju on Kemi, Opera News, 18 June, 2021)
The case before us is one identified as bare infinitive. Consider the structure: “…politicians who helped Adeosun forged her NYSC certificate…” Please notice that the two verbs in the clause are in their past simple form: helped, forged. The two verbs are in the forms in which they are ostensibly because the event being conveyed by the clause is in the past. This point is valid for the first verb (helped), but not so for the second. Actually, the second ought to be in its infinitive form: the basic uninflected form of the verb. This is what is referred to as the bare infinitive.
Please read the following sentences:
1) I saw him enter the house.(Not: *I saw him entered the house.)
2) I saw him wash the car. (Not: *I saw him washed the car.)
3) I saw him break the glass. (Not: *I saw him broke the glass.)
4) I saw him receive the award. (Not: *I saw him received the award.)
5) I saw him flirt with his friend’s wife. (Not: *I saw him flirted with his friend’s wife.)
6) I saw him drive out of the premises. (Not: *I saw him drove out of the premises.)
7) I saw him lock the door. (Not: *I saw him locked the door.)
8) I made him pay for his misdeeds. (Not: *I made him paid for his misdeeds.)
9) The British made us speak English. (Not: *The British made us spoke English.)
10) She made me pay through the nose. (Not: *She made me paid through the nose.)
11) Abraham saw Haggai mock Sarah. (Not: *Abraham saw Haggai mocked Sarah.)
12) God made Cain suffer for Abel’s murder. (Not: *God made Cain suffered for Abel’s murder.)
13) I heard him say it. (Not: *I heard him said it.)
14) I heard him mention it to his boss. (Not: *I heard him mentioned it to his boss.)
15) I heard him whisper it into her ears. (Not: *I heard him whispered it into his ears.)
In some of those sentences, it is possible to have the second verb in its present participle (or -ing) form:
1) I saw him enteringthe house.
2) I saw him washing the car.
3) I saw him breaking the glass.
4) I saw him receiving the award.
5) I saw him flirting with his friend’s wife.
6) I saw him driving out of the premises.
7) I saw him locking the door.
8) Abraham saw Haggai mockingSarah.
9) I heard him saying it.
10) I heard him mentioning it to his boss.
11) I heard him whispering it into her ears.
At any rate, the structure should read: “…politicians who helped Adeosun forge her NYSC certificate…” Please notice that the second verb (forge) is now in its basic (or infinitive) form.
Sample 2: “But a section of academics in the university community says that he does not deserve such promotion on grounds of perpetuating serious academic malfeasance”. (Former ASUU Chair accused…Opera News, 13 June, 2021)
We are interested in the word perpetuating which occurs in the context: “perpetuating serious academic malfeasance.” It is important to note the word malfeasancewhich occurs together with the word perpetuating. The context makes it clear that the word perpetuatinghas been used as a near synonym of the word committing as used in the expression “committing a violent crime”. The word malfeasance, let us note, is about misdeed, offence.
It should become obvious that the word perpetuating has been used in confusion with perpetrating. The confusion of identity stems partly from inaccurate pronunciation and partly from spelling liability on the part of the reporter. This kind of problem will continue to arise for as long as writers do not take up the challenge of getting thoroughly familiar with the “tools” of their trade – the words of the language. Crimes and other forms of misdeeds are said to be perpetrated. To perpetuate something, on the other hand, is to cause such a thing to continue.
Let’s illustrate their respective usage. First perpetrate:
(1) Since the crime was perpetrated long before the law came into force, the offender cannot be successfully prosecuted now.
(2) Poverty cannot be an excuse or justification for perpetrating crime.
(3) Those who perpetrated the violent crime will be brought to justice speedily.
(4) The human rights abuses perpetrated during the military era are still being collated.
(5) The surprising thing is that the crime was perpetrated under the nose of the police.
(6) Any crime perpetrated henceforth shall receive instant judgement.
(7) Several murders have been perpetrated in the neighbourhood in recent times.
(8) All over the world, great evils are perpetrated by the police in the name of keeping law and order.
(9) The thugs on the payroll of politicians perpetrate more heinous crimes than [do] the much touted criminals being pursued by the police.
(10) The nation has been subjected to far more danger by the crimes perpetrated by political and technocratic elites than those perpetrated by violent criminals.
(11) Various forms of injustice are perpetrated by the police through taking of bribes and excessive use of force.
Now perpetuate:
(1) The interesting thing about genes is that they are perpetuated for as long as new generations are brought into being.
(2) Folk tales are the chief means through which values are perpetuated in traditional societies.
(3) Church doctrines and practices are perpetuated through regular Bible teaching.
(4) Chief executives usually seek to perpetuate their influence in office by replacing themselves with their lackeys.
(5) Instead of perpetuating them, we should do everything we can to eliminate these pernicious habits.
(6) By refusing to punish those misdeeds, we are not only condoning poor work habits, we are actually collaborating to perpetuate them, encouraging people to continue to indulge in them.
(7) Experienced teachers should exercise leadership by not allowing inexperienced teachers to perpetuate incorrect information.
(8) Education is the chief means through which values of previous generations are perpetuated.
(9) Journalists have a great role to play in perpetuating the society’s positive values.
At any rate, the word perpetrating should replace perpetuating in the context under examination.
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