Phil Coates did answer some of my points on list in an reasonably civil manner. In one point, though, I beg to differ with his opinion. Re FRENCH CAPITALIZATION CONVENTIONS.

William, this is going to have to be short -- I'd really rather not further beat a single sentence to death.

Re your main points in post #41:

1. Yes I am correct about French capitalization conventions. I speak French, have traveled a number of times to Paris, and am quite familiar with their naming conventions. Just Google "Place Maubert" and you will see running down the page time after time Place Maubert not place Maubert.

It is odd that you say "I am correct," when you are incorrect. I am bilingual and this particular 'convention' stumped me at first. As with naming 'The Lawrences' as 'les Lawrence,' French has many pitfalls ...

I did actually Google "Place Maubert." In fact, I linked to the French wikipedia entry on "Place Maubert." Indeed, I wrote 'See the French-language history of place Maubert and its present day Metro station.'

If you, Phil, had visited the French site, you might have seen sentences like these:

• La place Maubert est une place située dans les quartiers de la Sorbonne
  
• Statue d'Étienne Dolet (1509-1546), à l'emplacement de son supplice, place Maubert en 1899
  
• Réel emplacement de la place Maubert, avec la statue d'Étienne Dolet
  
• Le marché de la place Maubert
  

If you had also checked the link to the Metro Station Maubert - Mutualité [http://fr.wikipedia....%A9tro_de_Paris)] you might also have seen this sentence:

• Son nom provient de la place Maubert et de la Maison de la Mutualité, proches de la station.
  

Another Parisian example is "Place Vendome". The convention is similar in the U.S. For example "Washington Square" not "Washington square". You capitalize both words

Phil, the fact is that one does NOT capitalize both words in a sentence. Surely you will find a sign "Place Vendôme" and "Place des Vosges" or whatever, but in a sentence, the word 'place' is NOT capitalized. It may be that the French Academy has it wrong, along with the two books of picky French grammar that I consult, but I do think in this case you are mistaken.

Witness these place names, taken from French texts, brother Phil:

• Elle a été appelée place Vendôme dès le xviie siècle, du nom de l'Hôtel de Vendôme qui se trouvait là.
  
• La place Joachim-du-Bellay occupe l'emplacement de l'ancien cimetière des Innocents
  
• Située à l'ouest de l'île de la Cité, la place Dauphine constitue la seconde place royale parisienne du xviie siècle, après la place des Vosges.
  
• La place du Palais-Royal est une place située dans le 1er arrondissement de Paris.
  
• Avec la place Colette et la place du Théâtre, c'est une des trois places qui bordent les jardins du Palais-Royal et la Comédie-Française.
  
• La place des Victoires est située à cheval sur les 1er et 2e arrondissements de Paris.