I don't think it has a Uralic ancestor, but
seems to be common Baltic-Finnic: Karelian heponi, Veps hebo, Votic opõn.
Finnish hevonen is an expanded form of <hepo>, as far as I know, with the
suppletive suffix <-nen/-s(e)->, e.g. gen.sg. <hevosen>, nom.pl.
<hevoset> (in compounds we have <hevos->). Similarly in Estonian:
hobu, hobune, gen.sg. hobuse, etc. I don't know its etymology, but any
similarity to <hippos> can only be accidental. Any Uralic experts on the
list?
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 10:47 PM
Subject: [tied] Finnish hevonen "horse"
What;s the origin of Finnish hevonen "horse"? Any
PUr etymology? Any link with hippos?