Where does “tau” come from?

tau (Makasar) comes from Proto-South Sulawesi *tau, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian tau, from Proto-Austronesian Cau — person, human being.

tau (Makasar): people, person, man

Definitions

  1. people, person, man

Ancestry of “tau”, step by step

tau traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-South Sulawesi *tau

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-South Sulawesi*tau—
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesiantauperson, human
3Proto-AustronesianCauperson, human being

via Proto-Malayo-Polynesian taqu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayo-Polynesiantaquto know how; be able to
2Proto-AustronesianCaquto know how, be able to

Words derived from “tau”

Every word from Proto-Austronesian Cau →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian tau →Every word from Proto-South Sulawesi *tau →