Where does “Whakatāne” come from?
Whakatāne (Maori) comes from Maori tāne, from Proto-Polynesian taqane, from Proto-Oceanic taumʷaqane, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian tau, from Proto-Austronesian Cau — person, human being.
Ancestry of “Whakatāne”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maori | tāne | man |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | taqane | male |
| 3 | Proto-Oceanic | taumʷaqane | — |
| 4 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | tau | person, human |
| 5 | Proto-Austronesian | Cau | person, human being |