What is the origin of word wika?

The word "wika" is a Filipino word that means "language." Its origins can be traced back to the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian language, which is the ancestor of many languages spoken throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Here's a breakdown:

* Proto-Malayo-Polynesian: This language is reconstructed from the similarities found in various languages, including Filipino.

* Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wikā: This was the likely form of the word in the ancestral language, meaning "speech," "language," or "word."

* Filipino wika: Through linguistic evolution, the word transformed into "wika" in Filipino, retaining its meaning of "language."

While the precise origins of the word within Proto-Malayo-Polynesian are not definitively known, it's clear that "wika" has deep roots in the history of the Filipino language and culture.