The features and geometry of tone in Laal

Abstract Features are standard in segmental analysis but have been less successfully applied to tone. Subtonal features even argued be satisfactory for the representation of African tone than tonal primitives such as H, M, L (Hyman 2010; Clements et al. 2010). I argue that two-feature system Yip (1980) and Pulleyblank (1986) offers a straightforward account tonology Laal, an endangered, three-tone isolate southern Chad – particular properties Mid otherwise difficult for, namely avoidance complex patterns involving pervasive M-to-L lowering process, both straightforwardly analysed subtonal assimilation. Other operations Laal shown involve full-tone behaviour, justifying geometry à la Snider (1999, 2020) where linked Tonal Root Node, giving tones ability either fully or partially active, just like segments.