Where does “tangata manu” come from?
tangata 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.
tangata manu (Rapa Nui): birdman
Ancestry of “tangata manu”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Rapa Nui | manu | bird |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | *manu | — |
| 3 | Proto-Oceanic | manu | — |
| 4 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | manuk | bird |
| 5 | Proto-Austronesian | manuk | bird; chicken |