Where does “wai mata” come from?

wai mata (Proto-South Sulawesi) comes from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian wahiʀ ni mata, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian maCa — eye organ.

wai mata (Proto-South Sulawesi): tear

Definitions

  1. tear

Ancestry of “wai mata”, step by step

wai mata traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Malayo-Polynesian wahiʀ ni mata

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayo-Polynesianwahiʀ ni matatear
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianmataeye
3Proto-Austronesianmataeye
4Proto-AustronesianmaCaeye organ

via Proto-South Sulawesi wai

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-South Sulawesiwaiwater
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianwahiʀwater

via Proto-South Sulawesi mata

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-South Sulawesimataeye
Every word from Proto-Austronesian maCa →Every word from Proto-Austronesian mata →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata →