[Taxacom] proper use of "de" in a French name

[Edwards, G.B.]

But when starting a sentence in English (Mike's question), the first
word is always capitalized, as far as I can recall, even a normally
uncapitalized article in a foreign language.  A perhaps more interesting
and applicable question regards the subsequent geneology of the Vicomte
in question:  Did his descendants adopt Bonvouloir, de Bonvouloir, or
(not inconceivably) Henry as the surname.  I would argue that whichever
of these is subsequently correct (if there was only one) would be the
name to be cited.  As Mike noted, Vicomte de Bonvouloir is a title, not
a surname.

-- 
G. B. Edwards 

-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
[mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Robin Leech
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 4:13 PM
To: rjensen at saintmarys.edu; Michael A. Ivie
Cc: TAXACOM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] proper use of "de" in a French name

De or de is part of the last name.  So, if it were part of mine,
you would read,
de Leech, R.

Robin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Jensen" <rjensen at saintmarys.edu>
To: "Michael A. Ivie" <mivie at montana.edu>
Cc: "TAXACOM" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] proper use of "de" in a French name


Gee, Mike, I would think such questions would transcend disciplinary
lines.

Might this be a function of editorial convention established by the
journal? I have seen it De and de, and I'm it may depend on whether your
are writing in French, German, English or some other language.
Personally, I would recommend "De Bonvouloir's..."

Cheers,

Dick J

Richard Jensen, Professor
Department of Biology
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Tel: 574-284-4674



Michael A. Ivie wrote:
> I have a question for our Francophone members.  I am only interested
in
> the French grammar issues, not at all in any Botanical code or usage
> things, as this is a zoology paper.
> Regarding a person named "Victor Henry Vicomte de Bonvouloir", cited
in
> the French literature as "de Bonvouloir." [I realize this is a title
not
> a traditional sur name, but it is used as the only sur name available
in
> the paper]
>
> The question: When starting a sentence with a French person's name
that
> starts with the honorific "de", should it be:
>
> de Bonvouloir's specimens are said to be...
> De Bonvouloir's specimens are said to be...
> or
> Bonvouloir's specimens are said to be...
>
> I could fix this by rearranging the sentence, but I was interested in
> the correct form.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
>
>


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