>Let us presume that our disagreeable first mate's full name is
>Boudewijn Ferdinandszoon van Zandt

That works for me! Thank you for your help—the thing about how the articles change depending on the sentence structure is especially interesting. I'd never considered the idea that it wouldn't just be one or the other. I'm not sure why, but I'm fascinated by the way that kind of stuff works in (what are to me) foreign languages—Russian patronymics are another good example. I love the idea that a Russian who knew me well enough would want to call me Venyamin Petrovich. :)

--G.
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Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
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Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.