Where does “wai mata” come from?
wai mata (Tae') comes from Tae' wai, from Proto-South Sulawesi wai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian wahiʀ — water.
wai mata (Tae'): tear
Ancestry of “wai mata”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Tae' | wai | water |
| 2 | Proto-South Sulawesi | wai | water |
| 3 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | wahiʀ | water |