Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli) — ANLHE Historical Language Encyclopedia and Ninety-Lesson Source Guide
Language identity, historically attested sources, alphabet and phonetic notation, grammar, cultural interpretation and ninety original-source research objectives.
1. Language identity and chronological history
Tîrî is an Oceanic Kanak language of Petit Couli and Grand Couli, with speakers also in Sarraméa and La Foa. Hamea is closely related but needs its own community and source labels. G. W. Grace published Grand Couli Dictionary (1976, 113 pages). Midori Osumi’s Tinrin Grammar appeared in 1995, University of Hawaiʻi Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication 25, 304 pages. The Kanak Language Academy published a French-language presentation in 2015 and the illustrated original tale Foha (2012). The Academy’s 2009 count of 596 speakers is dated and is not a 2026 count. Publication years and historic speaker counts are not dates of linguistic origin or verified contemporary census estimates.
2. Writing, script and phonological systems
Osumi documents verb-initial patterns alongside emerging preverbal subjects, topics, possessive forms and comitative expressions. Tîrî exhibits documented differences between neutral VOS and more frequent SVO configurations in some contexts. Original source orthography and pronominal forms must come from the relevant edition. Compare historic source spelling and current phonetic conventions without inventing an early indigenous writing system. Original-language phrases must be checked against named speakers, archives or printed editions.
3. Authentic grammar and historical lexical forms
Investigate pronouns, possession, word formation, verb and noun structures, sound correspondences, word order and culturally meaningful semantic categories in source-attributed examples. Do not substitute examples from neighboring languages. Historic examples and modern scholarly reconstruction are separate kinds of evidence.
4. Named documentary and academic witnesses
Grace, Grand Couli Dictionary (1976); Osumi, Tinrin Grammar (1995), 304 pp.; Academy publication on Tîrî grammar (2015), Foha original story (2012).
Each reference is an identifiable research document or original lexicographic publication. A direct sentence quotation requires original wording and a precise page, rather than a generated plausible historical phrase.
5. Evidence-led learning from historical passages
Choose a genuine dictionary, field recording or published story, verify edition and original date, record local language variety and transcribe exact orthography. Annotate a supported linguistic feature and compare source translation against its context. Differences between speaker varieties, authors and re-editions must remain explicit.
6. Social culture, oral knowledge and communities
Local histories, island travel and traditional ecology, kinship and oral literature shape language use. Community intellectual contributors deserve acknowledgement. The archival scholarly record may be fragmentary and should not be treated as a complete representation of all historical ways of speaking.
7. Scholarly safeguards
Document genuine vowel and consonant signs and distinguish independent languages from related dialects. Oceanic and Polynesian relationships permit comparison but do not authorize copying unverified original words. An academic 1940 or 1995 publication documents a living tradition, not its origin date.
8. Ninety separately named documentary study objectives
Nine modules of ten lessons define a source-based curriculum. This is ninety numbered research lesson topics, not ninety finished downloadable textbooks or recorded lectures.
Module 1: Historical homeland, linguistic identity and sources — Lessons 1–10
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 1: Language family and local identity — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 2: Historic settlement names — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 3: Island or valley speech communities — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 4: Neighboring language distinction — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 5: Earliest original printed record — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 6: Historical grammarian and scholar — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 7: Indigenous collaborator — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 8: Documentary original date — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 9: Research bibliographic timeline — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 10: Respect speaker-count survey dates — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 2: Orthography and source phonology — Lessons 11–20
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 11: Original Roman letters — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 12: Consonant analysis — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 13: Vowels and distinctions — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 14: Prosody and stress if attested — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 15: Word boundaries — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 16: Diacritic fidelity — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 17: Sound alternations where documented — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 18: Changes to writing conventions — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 19: Original speaker recordings — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 20: No fictional ancient script — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 3: Original lexicon and semantic research — Lessons 21–30
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 21: Community endonym — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 22: Kinship vocabulary — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 23: Land and sea ecology — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 24: Local agriculture — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 25: Verbs of movement — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 26: Original phrasebook forms — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 27: Borrowing and contact — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 28: Cultural dictionary entries — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 29: Original root morphology — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 30: Verified small lexicon — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 4: Pronouns, nouns and relationships — Lessons 31–40
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 31: Personal pronouns — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 32: Number distinctions — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 33: Possession — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 34: Nominal modifiers — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 35: Articles if attested — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 36: Demonstratives — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 37: Numbers and quantifiers — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 38: Noun phrase order — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 39: Comitative expressions — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 40: Attested nominal analysis — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 5: Verbs, clauses and discourse — Lessons 41–50
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 41: Verbal root — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 42: Aspect and tense where attested — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 43: Voice and argument structure — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 44: Negation — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 45: Interrogatives — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 46: Requests and imperatives — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 47: Clause word order — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 48: Speech acts — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 49: Complex clauses — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 50: Annotated grammar example — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 6: Historical text and dictionary reading — Lessons 51–60
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 51: Identify a source edition — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 52: Locate original page — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 53: Check text or oral transcript — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 54: Preserve original language spelling — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 55: Read author glosses — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 56: Segment only attested morphemes — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 57: Compare bilingual translations — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 58: Label dialect and speaker — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 59: State reconstruction limits — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 60: Create accurate citation — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 7: Community history and intellectual culture — Lessons 61–70
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 61: Traditional oral stories — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 62: Place-based social memory — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 63: Traditional gardening — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 64: Ocean voyages where relevant — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 65: Family organization — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 66: Community educators — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 67: Early printing and literacy — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 68: Original researcher partnerships — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 69: Cultural language use — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 70: Preservation ethics — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 8: Comparative language science — Lessons 71–80
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 71: Genealogical classification — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 72: Compare dialects — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 73: Historical loanwords — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 74: Source-specific phoneme accounts — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 75: Prosody and metathesis if evidenced — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 76: Comparative grammatical structures — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 77: Distinguish neighboring lects — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 78: Publication era variation — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 79: Document evidence gaps — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 80: Philological uncertainty — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
Module 9: Independent annotated research — Lessons 81–90
Document the distinctive source history of Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli), using its own real grammar, lexical database, community corpus or archival edition.
- Lesson 81: Choose one genuine witness — 2009 census source. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 82: Record title and speaker — Hamea dialect relation. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 83: Copy exact spelling — Petit Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 84: Describe a documented sound — Grand Couli. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 85: Gloss one authentic word — Grace 1976 dictionary. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 86: Study attested noun phrase — Osumi 1995 grammar. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 87: Analyze supported predicate — 304-page book. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 88: Compare two scholarly readings — VOS to SVO change. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 89: Report uncertain analysis — Comitative pronouns. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
- Lesson 90: Submit complete citation — Foha oral narrative. Find a precise original example or scholarly passage, identify its historical date, spelling and local variety, explain the documented category, and state where evidence is incomplete instead of constructing unattested utterances.
9. Original bibliographic reference
Review a verified academic or institutional reference for Tîrî (Tinrin / Grand Couli). Read the primary source itself before quoting historical language or deriving grammatical examples.
10. Annotated research portfolio
Identify one authentic example from an original source, transcribe accurately, cite title, author, year and page, explain its known grammar and semantic context, and document remaining uncertainties. Return to the ANLHE language directory.