1. Language, geography and identity

Ifira island and the Imere or Mele community near Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu. Ifira-Mele is one language with mutually intelligible, regionally distinct varieties historically called Ifira and Mele or Imere. Ross Clark’s 1998 Dictionary of the Mele Language and 2001 grammar sketch provide major linguistic evidence. The language has undergone prolonged contact with neighboring Efate languages and, more recently, Bislama; therefore borrowed and inherited forms must be labeled carefully.

Language names and regional varieties are presented according to community-sensitive scholarly descriptions. A source’s publication date is not evidence of the language’s origin date, and historical speaker estimates are not current demographic facts.

2. Alphabet, authentic orthography and sound systems

Clark’s Mele dictionary documents specific orthographic conventions, lexical length distinctions and phonologically irregular historical forms. Preserve literal dictionary orthography; lexical entries containing segmentation marks require a note explaining whether marks reflect editorial analysis.

Students must distinguish alphabetic characters, phonetic transcription and analytic notation. Old and contemporary spelling systems may encode different features. Unsupported hypotheses about a pre-contact writing system are excluded.

3. Nouns, verbs, grammar and syntax

Research should distinguish independent pronouns, clitic pronouns, grammatical particles and possessive suffixes. For example Clark’s lexicon identifies koorua as a second-person dual pronoun and -ku as a first-person singular possessive suffix. The 2025 Malau and Dewar study revisits possession with newer corpus data and contrasts it with Futuna-Aniwa.

For every grammatical claim, document the relevant original-language evidence before generating English explanatory examples. Source limitations are substantive information, not gaps to conceal with plausible but invented language material.

4. Historically documented lexical sample

This selective lexicon uses only forms traceable to the sources indicated below. Definitions are concise summaries of the archival glosses and may not reflect every contextual sense.

• afi: fire.
• ao: daylight.
• naanei: today.
• fonu: turtle.
• koorua: second-person dual pronoun.
• -ku: first-person singular possessive suffix.

These isolated words do not authorize construction of unattested sentences or paradigms. All expanded examples require independent checking against the full edition.

5. Community life, historical use and language contact

Island geography, kinship, voyages, local ecology, settlement mobility and changing contact languages can all bear on lexical usage. Rather than implying a static culture, the encyclopedia asks how distinct decades of source collection shape observations. Community collaborators should be credited and knowledge restrictions respected.

6. Source register and scholarly bibliography

• Clark (1998), A Dictionary of the Mele Language, POLLEX source entries. https://pollex.eva.mpg.de/source/14/
• Lynch and Crowley (2001), Languages of Vanuatu, historical bibliography. https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/server/api/core/bitstreams/7a13bcf9-f23f-449d-aa05-0f418f998a92/content
• Malau and Dewar (2025), Possessive systems of Vanuatu Polynesian Outliers. https://nzlingsoc.org/journal_article/change-and-variation-in-the-possessive-systems-of-the-vanuatu-polynesian-outliers/

These links identify the scholarly witnesses or source data. They are not claims that every original sentence has been independently rechecked against the printed page. Add exact page or recording details before issuing finished instructional workbooks.

7. Nine-module learning design

Each module has ten distinct topics, yielding ninety numbered documentary lessons. Evidence requirements, source criticism, phonological literacy and respectful research methods are integrated throughout.

Module 1: Historical geography and identity — Lessons 1 to 10

Module focus: Ifira and Mele varieties, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

1. Lesson 1: community name — Ifira and Mele varieties. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
2. Lesson 2: atoll or island geography — Imere settlement. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
3. Lesson 3: language affiliation — Clark 1998 dictionary. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
4. Lesson 4: related-language distinction — Clark 2001 grammar. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
5. Lesson 5: documentary time line — Efate contact. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
6. Lesson 6: source bibliographies — Bislama loans. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
7. Lesson 7: fieldwork history — dual pronouns. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
8. Lesson 8: community voice — possessive suffixes. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
9. Lesson 9: historical contact — vowel length. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
10. Lesson 10: evidence-quality audit — historical migration. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 2: Writing and phonology — Lessons 11 to 20

Module focus: Imere settlement, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

11. Lesson 11: original orthography — Imere settlement. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
12. Lesson 12: consonant inventory — Clark 1998 dictionary. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
13. Lesson 13: vowel inventory — Clark 2001 grammar. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
14. Lesson 14: length notation — Efate contact. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
15. Lesson 15: syllabification — Bislama loans. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
16. Lesson 16: stress evidence — dual pronouns. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
17. Lesson 17: dialectal spelling — possessive suffixes. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
18. Lesson 18: transcription choices — vowel length. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
19. Lesson 19: audio cross-checking — historical migration. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
20. Lesson 20: citation fidelity — Ifira and Mele varieties. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 3: Authentic vocabulary — Lessons 21 to 30

Module focus: Clark 1998 dictionary, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

21. Lesson 21: headword organization — Clark 1998 dictionary. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
22. Lesson 22: body parts — Clark 2001 grammar. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
23. Lesson 23: kinship terminology — Efate contact. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
24. Lesson 24: land and sea — Bislama loans. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
25. Lesson 25: weather words — dual pronouns. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
26. Lesson 26: movement verbs — possessive suffixes. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
27. Lesson 27: agricultural lexicon — vowel length. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
28. Lesson 28: numerals — historical migration. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
29. Lesson 29: loanwords — Ifira and Mele varieties. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
30. Lesson 30: ten-word verified glossary — Imere settlement. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 4: Pronouns and nominal relations — Lessons 31 to 40

Module focus: Clark 2001 grammar, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

31. Lesson 31: first-person categories — Clark 2001 grammar. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
32. Lesson 32: second-person categories — Efate contact. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
33. Lesson 33: third-person categories — Bislama loans. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
34. Lesson 34: number contrasts — dual pronouns. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
35. Lesson 35: inclusion distinctions — possessive suffixes. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
36. Lesson 36: nominal heads — vowel length. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
37. Lesson 37: demonstratives — historical migration. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
38. Lesson 38: possession — Ifira and Mele varieties. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
39. Lesson 39: case and role — Imere settlement. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
40. Lesson 40: documented noun phrase — Clark 1998 dictionary. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 5: Verbs and morphosyntax — Lessons 41 to 50

Module focus: Efate contact, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

41. Lesson 41: verbal lexemes — Efate contact. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
42. Lesson 42: aspectual evidence — Bislama loans. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
43. Lesson 43: temporal marking — dual pronouns. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
44. Lesson 44: mood — possessive suffixes. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
45. Lesson 45: negation — vowel length. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
46. Lesson 46: interrogatives — historical migration. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
47. Lesson 47: transitivity — Ifira and Mele varieties. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
48. Lesson 48: word order — Imere settlement. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
49. Lesson 49: derivation — Clark 1998 dictionary. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
50. Lesson 50: clause analysis — Clark 2001 grammar. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 6: Attested texts and discourse — Lessons 51 to 60

Module focus: Bislama loans, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

51. Lesson 51: locate original text — Bislama loans. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
52. Lesson 52: identify storyteller — dual pronouns. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
53. Lesson 53: historical setting — possessive suffixes. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
54. Lesson 54: source segmentation — vowel length. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
55. Lesson 55: word-by-word gloss — historical migration. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
56. Lesson 56: literal translation — Ifira and Mele varieties. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
57. Lesson 57: idiomatic translation — Imere settlement. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
58. Lesson 58: narrative structure — Clark 1998 dictionary. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
59. Lesson 59: genre — Clark 2001 grammar. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
60. Lesson 60: commentary — Efate contact. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 7: Comparative and historical study — Lessons 61 to 70

Module focus: dual pronouns, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

61. Lesson 61: cognate methodology — dual pronouns. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
62. Lesson 62: ancestral forms — possessive suffixes. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
63. Lesson 63: borrowing diagnostics — vowel length. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
64. Lesson 64: phonological innovation — historical migration. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
65. Lesson 65: lexical replacement — Ifira and Mele varieties. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
66. Lesson 66: island-to-island interaction — Imere settlement. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
67. Lesson 67: dated descriptions — Clark 1998 dictionary. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
68. Lesson 68: speaker variety — Clark 2001 grammar. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
69. Lesson 69: limits of inference — Efate contact. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
70. Lesson 70: historical case study — Bislama loans. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 8: Cultural ecology and responsible documentation — Lessons 71 to 80

Module focus: possessive suffixes, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

71. Lesson 71: maritime life — possessive suffixes. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
72. Lesson 72: local ecology — vowel length. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
73. Lesson 73: kinship narratives — historical migration. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
74. Lesson 74: language transmission — Ifira and Mele varieties. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
75. Lesson 75: migration — Imere settlement. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
76. Lesson 76: contact languages — Clark 1998 dictionary. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
77. Lesson 77: religious and ceremonial register — Clark 2001 grammar. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
78. Lesson 78: archival metadata — Efate contact. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
79. Lesson 79: speaker consent — Bislama loans. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
80. Lesson 80: community-led scholarship — dual pronouns. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

Module 9: Advanced research portfolio — Lessons 81 to 90

Module focus: vowel length, assessed in relation to Ifira-Mele and its actual research record. Each lesson develops a separately identifiable competence with a citation trail and clear uncertainty annotations.

81. Lesson 81: annotated bibliography — vowel length. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
82. Lesson 82: orthography table — historical migration. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
83. Lesson 83: phonological contrast analysis — Ifira and Mele varieties. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
84. Lesson 84: lexicon study — Imere settlement. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
85. Lesson 85: pronoun study — Clark 1998 dictionary. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
86. Lesson 86: verbal study — Clark 2001 grammar. Present an evidence-based research question and list what original speaker or archival data would be needed to answer it. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
87. Lesson 87: annotated text — Efate contact. Extract only directly attested forms from the named source and include original spelling, gloss, attribution and page or entry identifier. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
88. Lesson 88: comparison of sources — Bislama loans. Compare the source treatment with a related documented phenomenon and explain why borrowing a neighboring language’s forms would be invalid. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
89. Lesson 89: documentation ethics — dual pronouns. Prepare a short annotated evidence table distinguishing observation, descriptive interpretation and unverified hypothesis. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.
90. Lesson 90: final scholarly synthesis — possessive suffixes. Identify a relevant passage or lexical entry, assess its historical setting and state at least one source limitation. Expected submission: a cited document note, specific linguistic interpretation, and careful statement of what remains unknown.

8. Evidence boundaries and editorial integrity

No undocumented grammar form, invented local sentence, fabricated antiquity or current speaker population is supplied as fact. Where available sources are limited to basic vocabulary, lessons on morphology and discourse are proposals for further verified research rather than a false claim of complete documentation. Respect manuscript permissions and speaker authorship in any future learning materials.