Meeussen's rule

The term "Meeussen's Rule" (the spelling with a capital R is more common) first appeared in a paper by John Goldsmith in 1981.

[5] Meeussen's rule is one of a number of processes in Bantu languages by which a series of consecutive high tones is avoided.

In the first sentence, both the tense marker rá and the verb form báriira (to sew) carry a high tone, signified by the acute accent.

Thus in Luganda, a Bantu language of Uganda, the word *bá-lí-lába 'they will see', which theoretically has three High tones, is actually pronounced bálilabá with only one.

For example, in Shona, a Bantu language of Zimbabwe]], the similar verb *á-chá-téngá 'he will buy' transforms to á-cha-téngá, where only one syllable is lowered by Meeussen's rule.

[10] Likewise, in the Chewa verb a-ná-ká-fótokoza 'he went and explained', the tone of ká 'go and' does not get lowered although it follows the high-toned tense-marker ná.