The Persistence Criterion
Criterion type: general
If a tone is contrastive and it persists in all contexts (i.e., it is not affected by tonal processes which could be regarded as criteria of tonemic status), such tone is considered to be a toneme.
The Extensibility Criterion
Criterion type: contour
If a tonal contour can be realized on a segmental unit (most often, word) represented by a sequence of TBUs, but can also be hosted by a segmental unit of the same level (e.g., a word) consisting of a single TBU, this tonal contour is a toneme.
The Non-Compositionality Criterion
Criterion type: contour
If a language has a tonal contour realized on one TBU composed of levels which are not available in this language as tonemes, this contour is a toneme.
The Floating Criterion
Criterion type: general
If a tone can float, it is a toneme
The Tonal Morpheme Criterion
Criterion type: general
An additive or replacive tonal (non-segmental) morpheme contains at least one toneme.
The Shared TBU Criterion
Criterion type: general
If two level tones can be assigned to one TBU, both tones are tonemes (unless this contour is a toneme, see creteria for the contour tonemes above) , and neither is Ø.
The Activity Criterion
Criterion type: general
If a tone appears as a part of condition in a tonal rule, it is a toneme.