Where does “ala siapa-siapa” come from?

ala siapa-siapa (Makasar) comes from Makasar siapa, from Swahili -apa.

ala siapa-siapa (Makasar): several; approximately how many

Definitions

  1. several; approximately how many

Ancestry of “ala siapa-siapa”, step by step

ala siapa-siapa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Makasar siapa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Makasarsiapahow much; how many
2Swahili-apa—

via Makasar ala

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Makasaralaperhaps; maybe; approximately
Every word from Swahili -apa →Every word from Makasar siapa →
ala siapa-siapa — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer