I can't see all the posts in this thread (as often happens on this list, I
get a blank gray screen for all but one), so I'm sorry if this has already
been answered.
"Baron" is a term of rank associated with a person bearing a title of
nobility. It is capitalized in English, but not in French. See RDA Appendix
A.11.3, A.11.5, A.40.4, and see Appendix G, which begins:
The terms of rank in France are:
Masculine Feminine
duc duchesse
marquis marquise
comte comtesse
vicomte vicomtesse
baron baronne
chevalier
écuyer
Fourier was French, and the term of rank "baron" should not be capitalized.
The question is whether it should be used in the authorized access point at
all. He was made a baron of the Empire by Napoleon in 1809; that Empire was
extinguished a few years later. One would need to do some research to see if
he continued to use the title in resources he was associated with, or if it
is used in reference sources. A quick check in OCLC of works of which he is
the subject suggests to me that "baron" is mostly not used (and I also
wonder whether it is appropriate to use all of his forenames). See 9.2.2.14
(in this case, when he was made a baron, his original surname was the
"proper name" associated with the term "baron"), and see 9.19.1.2.2
(emphasis added):
"**If the title of nobility (see 9.4.1.5) or part of the title commonly
appears with the name in resources associated with the person or in
reference sources,** add the title to the name. In this context, disregard
reference sources dealing with the nobility. In case of doubt, add the
title. Add the title of nobility even if it is not needed to distinguish
access points representing different persons with the same name."
The rule was approximately the same under AACR 2, so an examination of
headings such as this may cause one to conclude that the access point was
not correctly formed under AACR 2 and consequently should be changed. And I
do think it is important to review these things. That is surely why the 667
says "THIS 1XX FIELD CANNOT BE USED UNDER RDA UNTIL THIS RECORD HAS BEEN
REVIEWED AND/OR UPDATED."
The English Wikipedia article is headed "Joseph Fourier" and does not
mention his title at all except in a "see also" type reference to "Barons of
the First French Empire."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fourier
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Kathie Coblentz, Rare Materials Cataloger
Collections Strategy/Special Formats Processing
The New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
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My opinions, not NYPL's
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