We do sort of know though. Some of them anyway. Analysis of fossils has become better, including on a microscopic level, and fossil collection techniques have become better, allowing for less damage. Also some spectacular fossils have been collected in China, where the conditions are perfect for preserving specimens very well.
From all of this we know something of their ear construction, and their throat construction. We know that they almost certainly wouldn't have roared, but may well have made guttural noises similar to crocogators today. Hadrosaurs had an array of headgear that would have allowed some sophistication in noise-making, which is very likely since they tended to be social, and would have needed some form of group communication. Parasaurolophus, for instance, had what looks like a bugle on its head. It probably made low-pitched trumpeting sorts of noises. Current thinking is a loud alert, and softer noises for mutual comfort/grazing small talk.
I don't know what the current thinking is on the bulkier quadrupeds, however. Whilst I doubt that the likes of Triceratops or Stegosaurus were speaking German, I will not rule it out. Although German didn't exist as a language 10,000 years ago, so I'm doubtful that it did millions of years before that. Unless, of course, dinosaurs developed time travel. You never know.
(If they did, I hope they don't consider pigeons too much of a disappointment.)
PS: The people in your post get bonus marks for spelling palaeontology right. The internet always trends to the American, and misses out that second 'a'!
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(no subject)
Date: 2019-10-19 04:55 pm (UTC)From all of this we know something of their ear construction, and their throat construction. We know that they almost certainly wouldn't have roared, but may well have made guttural noises similar to crocogators today. Hadrosaurs had an array of headgear that would have allowed some sophistication in noise-making, which is very likely since they tended to be social, and would have needed some form of group communication. Parasaurolophus, for instance, had what looks like a bugle on its head. It probably made low-pitched trumpeting sorts of noises. Current thinking is a loud alert, and softer noises for mutual comfort/grazing small talk.
I don't know what the current thinking is on the bulkier quadrupeds, however. Whilst I doubt that the likes of Triceratops or Stegosaurus were speaking German, I will not rule it out. Although German didn't exist as a language 10,000 years ago, so I'm doubtful that it did millions of years before that. Unless, of course, dinosaurs developed time travel. You never know.
(If they did, I hope they don't consider pigeons too much of a disappointment.)
PS: The people in your post get bonus marks for spelling palaeontology right. The internet always trends to the American, and misses out that second 'a'!
(no subject)
Date: 2019-10-22 05:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-10-23 11:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-10-21 08:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-10-22 05:39 pm (UTC)