Where does “niyawa” come from?

niyawa (Maranao) comes from Malay nyawa, from Proto-Malayic ñawa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian nihawa, from Proto-Austronesian niSawa — breath.

niyawa (Maranao): life

Definitions

  1. life

Ancestry of “niyawa”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaynyawalife; soul
2Proto-Malayicñawabreath
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesiannihawabreath
4Proto-AustronesianniSawabreath
Every word from Proto-Austronesian niSawa