RE: terminology

[Jaime Headden <qi_leong@hotmail.com>]

Both are correct, as there is no authoritative determination for how to decline 
-ia in English, just a convention (towards -ian because of -ianus). 
"Titanosaurs" and "titanosaurians" can be correct for the same reasons. 
However, "titanosaurians" can generally or specifically refer to *Titanosauria* 
whereas "titanosaurs" has been used for titanosaurids as well, as it was the 
only concept of the group available at the time the form came into popular 
usage. Thus, whatever "sounds" good as a form of speech or flow of 
communication (as if it were clear what you are referring to in your text; 
e.g., don't use "ceratopsids" if what you mean is "centrosaurines" or 
"centrosaurs" -- or that the latter can also refer to *Centrosaurus* in the 
Bakkerian manner). I love English.

Cheers,

Jaime A. Headden
The Bite Stuff (site v2)
http://qilong.wordpress.com/

"Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)


"Ever since man first left his cave and met a stranger with a
different language and a new way of looking at things, the human race
has had a dream: to kill him, so we don't have to learn his language or
his new way of looking at things." --- Zapp Brannigan (Beast With a Billion 
Backs)





----------------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 05:19:30 +0000
> From: df9465@yahoo.co.uk
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: terminology
>
> So here's a question for y'all.
>
>
> If Dinosauria are known as dinosaurs, are Titanosauria known as titanosaurs, 
> or
> titanosaurians? You can say "dinosaurians" if you like I guess... I'd like to 
> be
> technically correct (the best kind of correct).
>
> Thanks.
>
> D.
>
> ----------------------------------
> Denver Fowler
> df9465@yahoo.co.uk
> http://www.denverfowler.com
> -----------------------------------
>
>
>