Re: List of Dinosaur Name Incorrectly Translated All-too-often

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-01-07 19:00:47 EST, pharrinj@PLU.edu writes:

>Sorry, Raptor, for the derivation of _Aetonyx_ as "ancient claw"; I think 
>G.O. is right on this one.  However, his Greek is a little off.  "AE" and 
>"AI" are the Latin and Greek ways, respectively, of spelling the diphthong 
>(two vowels in one syllable) in English "eye".  Also, the accent in Greek 
>compounds is usually recessive, coming on the earliest syllable possible, 
>in this case the third from the end.  The best approximation to the Greek 
>pronunciation of the name _Aetonyx_ is, therefore, most likely EYE-toh-nix.
>
>

In my dictionary, the Greek _aetos_ is written with a dieresis over the e,
showing independent pronunciation of the two vowels, like the two o's in
Troodon. There's no ligature "ae" there.