Where does “reo” come from?

reo (Rarotongan) comes from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *leo, from Proto-Oceanic leqo, from Proto-Oceanic *(qa-)liqoʀ, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *liqəʀ, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *liqəʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian liqəʀ, from Proto-Austronesian liqəʀ — neck.

reo (Rarotongan): voice; speech; language

Definitions

  1. voice; speech; language

Ancestry of “reo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Nuclear Polynesian*leo—
2Proto-Oceanicleqo—
3Proto-Oceanic*(qa-)liqoʀthroat front part of the neck
4Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*liqəʀ—
5Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*liqəʀ—
6Proto-Malayo-Polynesianliqəʀneck
7Proto-Austronesianliqəʀneck
Every word from Proto-Austronesian liqəʀ →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian liqəʀ →Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *liqəʀ →
reo — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer