Re: OPLOSAURUS

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

<Does anyone know what the 'oplo' in _Oplosaurus_
means?>

  Had fun with this word once, a long time ago. "Oplo"
come from the greek "hoplon", or shield, and was
applied to the small wrist shield used by
spear-bearers (similarly called "Hoplites"). Thus,
*Euoplocephalus* is well-shield-head, *Oplosaurus* is
shielded lizard, and *Hoplitosaurus* is hoplite or
shield "bearer" lizard. The -ites in greek, and
correct me if I'm wrong, refers to provenance, and
basically means "dweller", as in *Texasetes*, "Texas
dweller" or "denizen of Texas." Hoplites would then
mean "person of the shield" and this would make the
translation of the last dinosaur's name decidely
difficult. Ben Criesler has probably got all the
answers, and I'm probably gonna get another whooping
from Nick and Ben on this latest foray into languages.

  Oh, and in case no one got it, I was delibrately
mis-transliterating my Russian for "good bye," for the
ironic aspects of it all.

So, do svidaniya,


=====
Jaime "James" A. Headden

"Come the path that leads us to our fortune."

Qilong---is temporarily out of service.
Check back soon.
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