wrote in message
...
Dear Wilbur, you might know many nautical things, but you don't know
French. That would be "cause celebre" . Merci

There is no *might* about it Monsieur! I am, indeed, a vast storehouse of
nautical knowledge, especially blue water knowledge.

Mais non, Monsieur. It is *cause célèbre*! But, proper Française is not my
forté. (But, I am accomplished at reproducing it perfectly with all the
necessary curlicues attached.) However, such perfection is lost on the
illiterate English users here.

Most of them have no clue about proper diction and grammar, let alone
spelling. Therefore, I used a lowbrow version of the French term so it would
not go right over their heavy browed, short and steeply sloped back
foreheads which obviously contain in insignificant amount of gray matter.

Vous êtes bienvenu,
Wilbur Hubbard