Re: OH NO! NOT "RAPTORS" AGAIN!

[Larry Dunn <majestic_cheese@yahoo.com>]

---David Hill <daveyohill@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Dear Brian (and lister)
> 
> Now Come on Brian, This is hardly relivent.  Am I corect in saying
that, no
> one cares what nick-names dinosaurs might have?

Language is power.  It shapes our relationships.  It's really
important.  Names are a great example of that, and this is especially
true in (non-avian) dinosaurs; since we'll never see one alive, the
name carries a lot of the power of the animal as a once-living thing.

Example: The name Tyrannosaurus rex creates a vivid image when
translated, doesn't it?  Heck, even the *sound* of the words is
intimidating.  Imagine if a sauropod had been named Tyrannosaurus rex!  

Example: I personally think of sauropods as get-the-hell-out-of-my-way
behemoths a lot like elephants are today, but many people think of
them as gentle giants.  So, here's the same question again -- what if
a *sauropod* had been named Tyrannosaurus rex?  

(Interestingly, a theropod and a sauropod have shared the same name
for a while at least once, I believe: _Epanterias_.)

Since I'm not a pro, I've kept out of these naming convention debates,
but I'll venture to say that the unwillingness of some to be
imaginative and descriptive in naming new species is a bit
disappointing to me.  I mean, _Parasaurolophus_?  Come on you
scientists, use that Latin and Greek you were forced to learn!  On the
other hand, _Sinosauropteryx_ is a grand name, if a bit of a tongue
twister.

So I feel that we should discuss terminology -- it's healthy.  Too
much discussion might *not* be healthy, it's true.  But I'm distressed
to see people write "terminology doesn't matter.  HERE'S what
matters."  Let's give language it's due.

See what I mean?

>       I'm begining to find this list to be a mere anoyance instead of a
> resource.

I'm sorry to hear that.  Try just sorting through what you don't like
and then enjoy what you do!


==
Larry
http://members.tripod.com/~megalania/index.html

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