Tirax is a member of the Southern Oceanic branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language family. It is spoken by about 800 people in the north east of Malakula Island in Vanuatu, particularly in the villages of Mae, Rori and Bethel. Tirax is spoken by people of all ages, although younger speakers are shifting to Bislama.
Tirax is also known as Mae or Dirak. Native speakers call it Resan (language, speech) or Resan Tirax (language of inland people).
A way to write Tirax with the Latin alphabet was developed in 2004 in consultation with the Tirax community.
Download an alphabet chart for Tirax (Excel)
Mirti haxal, netna haxal, xair dxi vinadr han, rtelul, ntɛbih netnar ri, iveve xair. Dede han tatɛ han rvva "nɔx baat!" Ale netnan bih iat iat vɛvɛvɛ na, rentɛ nmab ivu. Rentɛ nmab ivu, ale ivan ihɛx xini.
(There was) a man, (who had) a son. He and his wife they went to the garden, That child of theirs, he wanted (to go with) them. His mother and father said "You stay here!" So their little child stayed behind. Now he stayed for a while, and (the) Tahitian chestnut tree bore fruit. When (the) Tahitian chestnut tree bore fruit, he went and climbed up it.
Source: Tirax grammar and narrative, by Amanda Brotchie
Information about Tirax | Numbers
Information about Tirax
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirax_language
https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/handle/11343/36956
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Languages written with the Latin alphabet
Page created: 25.04.23. Last modified: 26.04.23
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