Where does “Tawang” come from?

Tawang (English) comes from Old Javanese tawaṅ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tabaŋ, from Proto-Austronesian *tabaN — head trophy trophy taken in headhunting.

Ancestry of “Tawang”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Javanesetawaṅbooty
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*tabaŋ
3Proto-Austronesian*tabaNhead trophy trophy taken in headhunting
Every word from Proto-Austronesian *tabaNEvery word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tabaŋEvery word from Old Javanese tawaṅ