Where does “buaʼ mata” come from?

buaʼ mata (Makasar) comes from Makasar mata, from Proto-South Sulawesi mata, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian maCa — eye organ.

buaʼ mata (Makasar): an incantation muttered to have success when meeting a girl

Definitions

  1. an incantation muttered to have success when meeting a girl

Ancestry of “buaʼ mata”, step by step

buaʼ mata traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Makasar mata

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Makasarmataeye
2Proto-South Sulawesimataeye
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesianmataeye
4Proto-Austronesianmataeye
5Proto-AustronesianmaCaeye organ

via Makasar buaʼ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Makasarbuaʼeconomical in use; going a long way of materials
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbuhat—
Every word from Proto-Austronesian maCa →Every word from Proto-Austronesian mata →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata →