L-Parameter: Voiceless alveolar lateral initial

From Contribution: Sinitic between Altaic and Mainland Southeast Asia

This feature describes the rare voiceless alveolar lateral fricative initial [l̥-], found primarily in Sinitic varieties in Guangxi and southwestern Guangdong. Its distribution correlates with MSEA languages in China, such as Hmong-Mien and Tai-Kadai, suggesting it is a locally developed areal feature.