What is the difference between a hippopotamus and a hippo – the answer to the question

“What is the difference between a hippopotamus and a hippopotamus?” — such a question can often be heard. It seems to some that these are really different animals, since the names are different. Some people think that these words are just synonyms. Who is right and where is the truth?

As it turned out, hippos and hippos are the same animals! That is, by naming one of the words, the other is equally implied. The whole difference between them lies solely in the origin of the terms.

So, where did these definitions come from?

• Speaking about the difference between a hippopotamus and a hippopotamus – or rather, these terms – it should be noted first of all that the latter of them is more scientific. And he went from the ancient Greeks, who, while sailing along the river, somehow saw an animal that outwardly reminded them of a horse. Of course, most of our contemporaries will not understand how you can even compare a horse with a hippopotamus. After all, the first is graceful, and the second is very heavy. Of course, this is true if we compare animals that are on land. But a hippo immersed in water shows the audience only eyes, ears and large nostrils, from which snorting is heard. The latter, by the way, is very similar to horse. Apparently, this parallel was formed. In addition, the hippo in running is very fast, oddly enough. So, why is it “hippo”, what does the word “horse” have to do with it? The fact is that “hippopotamus” is a compound of the words “hippos” and “potamos”. The first term means just “horse”, and the second – “river”.
• As for the term “behemoth”, it has Hebrew roots. “Behema” literally translates as “monster”, “beast”. And now it’s time to turn to Jewish mythology. There was a mythical creature in it, which symbolized gluttony. It was just called “behema”. It was depicted as a creature with a large belly. The hippo, by the way, really looks like the creature depicted in the engravings – therefore, the term has firmly entered our lives. By the way, it is the term “behemoth” that is more familiar to us – the Slavs heard it for the first time around the XNUMXth century.

It animal is rightfully considered one of the the most mysterious of the existing ones. And the point is not only in its name, but also in that habits, way of life are studied not good enough. Any scientist at once will say that the current little information day! But it’s good that at least we figured out the issue of names.