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.
wai mata (Proto-South Sulawesi): tear
Ancestry of “wai mata”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | wahiʀ ni mata | tear |
| 2 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | mata | eye |
| 3 | Proto-Austronesian | mata | eye |
| 4 | Proto-Austronesian | maCa | — |