[An-lang] Etymology of Mussau maotake

[John Brownie]

In Mussau-Emira we have the term maotake 'raw, uncooked'. In looking at 
historical forms, I see the PAN *ma-qataq 'raw, unripe', though I'm a 
bit dubious about that due to the vowel changes and the fact that it 
becomes POc *mataq. There is also the POc *qodaq 'eat something raw'. 
Intriguingly, there's also PWMP *maosak, but that has an opposite 
meaning, 'ready to be eaten, ripe, cooked'.

Does anyone have some better insight than I as to where the Mussau-Emira 
term comes from?

John
-- 
John Brownie
In Australia on furlough from SIL Papua New Guinea

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