Where does “bah” come from?
bah (Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan) comes from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi bah, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian bahaq, from Proto-Austronesian baSaq, from Azerbaijani baş, from Proto-Turkic baĺč — head; beginning.
Ancestry of “bah”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi | bah | — |
| 2 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | bahaq | — |
| 3 | Proto-Austronesian | baSaq | flood; to overflow |
| 4 | Azerbaijani | baş | head; beginning; end, side |
| 5 | Proto-Turkic | baĺč | head; beginning |