Where does “mak nyah” come from?
mak nyah (Malay) comes from Malay mak, from Malay emak, from Cebuano Emma, from English Emma, from Proto-Germanic ermunaz, from Proto-Germanic gardaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʰórdʰos, from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- — to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt.
mak nyah (Malay): a trans woman
Definitions
- a trans woman
Ancestry of “mak nyah”, step by step
mak nyah traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Malay mak
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | mak | Alternative form of emak; mother |
| 2 | Malay | emak | mother; woman |
| 3 | Cebuano | Emma | — |
| 4 | English | Emma | M in RAF phonetic alphabet |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ermunaz | strong, whole; Irmin |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | gardaz | enclosure; court, yard; garden |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰórdʰos | hedge, fence, enclosure; hedge, enclosure;... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰerdʰ- | to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt |
via Malay nyah
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | nyah | to run from |