Where does “taŋata manu” come from?

taŋata manu (Rapa Nui) comes from Rapa Nui manu, from Proto-Polynesian *manu, from Proto-Oceanic manu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian manuk, from Proto-Austronesian manuk — bird; chicken.

taŋata manu (Rapa Nui): birdman

Definitions

  1. birdman

Ancestry of “taŋata manu”, step by step

taŋata manu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Rapa Nui manu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Rapa Nuimanubird
2Proto-Polynesian*manu—
3Proto-Oceanicmanu—
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianmanukbird
5Proto-Austronesianmanukbird; chicken

via Proto-Polynesian taŋata

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesiantaŋataman, person
2Proto-Oceanic*tamʷatahuman being, person
Every word from Proto-Austronesian manuk →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian manuk →Every word from Proto-Oceanic manu →
taŋata manu — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer