Sometimes, people who are experts in a particular subject get a slightly skewed idea of what in that field should be common knowledge and what is expert knowledge. I've been guilty of it occasionally, and I suspect a few of you are nodding in agreement too. I find it very difficult not to laugh out loud when someone confuses archaeology with palaeontology, even though I am assuming a level of education that may not be the case.
So this was something I thought everyone knew. It's in every children's book about dinosaurs, and I doubt there is a six-year-old who doesn't know the answer to this. But is this really common knowledge, or is it just common knowledge for someone who has studied palaeontology at postgraduate level?
If you can't see it, the question is:
"What is the literal meaning of the word 'Dinosaur' when translated from the Greek?"
So is this an obvious answer to you, and is it an obvious general knowledge-level answer? Is this something the average person appearing on a quiz show should be expected to know, along with the capital of Sweden, the winner of the 2008 X-Factor contest and the maximum score possible with three darts?
So this was something I thought everyone knew. It's in every children's book about dinosaurs, and I doubt there is a six-year-old who doesn't know the answer to this. But is this really common knowledge, or is it just common knowledge for someone who has studied palaeontology at postgraduate level?
If you can't see it, the question is:
"What is the literal meaning of the word 'Dinosaur' when translated from the Greek?"
- Terrible Lizard
- Before Man
- Walking Snake
So is this an obvious answer to you, and is it an obvious general knowledge-level answer? Is this something the average person appearing on a quiz show should be expected to know, along with the capital of Sweden, the winner of the 2008 X-Factor contest and the maximum score possible with three darts?
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