Where does “Hongkongese” come from?
Hongkongese (English) comes from English ese, from Mexican Spanish ese, from Latin ipse, from Proto-Italic *e(s)peso — himself, herself, itself.
Ancestry of “Hongkongese”, step by step
Hongkongese traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ese
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ese | dude, man |
| 2 | Mexican Spanish | ese | The name of the Latin-script letter S; that;... |
| 3 | Latin | ipse | himself, herself, itself, the very, the actual;... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | *e(s)peso | himself, herself, itself |
via English Hongkong
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Hongkong | (island) |