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- Dec 20, 2005
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Hello I've got a question. I believe I know the answer but my editor and I are at odds on a point of usage.
I'm writing a contemporary novel. My M/C , an American, is "the lord" of a huge estate complete with château in (where else France). His tenants and the locals refer to him has le seigneur---no caps. My editor insists that since this is a title (albeit traditional rather than hereditary) it should be Le Seigneur.
Now I know that in Spain for example, El Signor, translates into The Lord, as in God or Jesus. Mercifully the Spanish have the phrase Don. In Holland I could use patroon, or in Italy he could be il patron, but as it is my guy is in France and I can find no word analogous to Don, patroon or patron that suits his station as owner and lord of the manor. Bablefish was not helpful.
So boys and girls, am I correct in keeping the title lower case or should it remain upper case? I await literally on pins if not needles.
As they say in France, Mercy Buttercups,
C
I'm writing a contemporary novel. My M/C , an American, is "the lord" of a huge estate complete with château in (where else France). His tenants and the locals refer to him has le seigneur---no caps. My editor insists that since this is a title (albeit traditional rather than hereditary) it should be Le Seigneur.
Now I know that in Spain for example, El Signor, translates into The Lord, as in God or Jesus. Mercifully the Spanish have the phrase Don. In Holland I could use patroon, or in Italy he could be il patron, but as it is my guy is in France and I can find no word analogous to Don, patroon or patron that suits his station as owner and lord of the manor. Bablefish was not helpful.
So boys and girls, am I correct in keeping the title lower case or should it remain upper case? I await literally on pins if not needles.
As they say in France, Mercy Buttercups,
C