diff --git a/.trinity/seals/GF16.json b/.trinity/seals/GF16.json
index 6dcaa0e63..66c14c636 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/GF16.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/GF16.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "conformance_hash": null,
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:55d2b44f985fbd1be8ec09860670dac3cdd063a1820f051bfbc3bb06f22c0e74",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:54ee54e614f675e28b0f377dfac3bc7c43d4cb721b1f5f5ed19da303d4e6b546",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:1cf53ef31359cc59054b4d9901fb855b6803d61129e35f021f6411d320817f92",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:b375909814c58781db08e9113bf93da4b331d45e8955f04af92309e134436b64",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:fa7ce3a6674834a2e6c9a6c86297b05393a66eed9c4709b0252f0daffa43bf53",
   "module": "GF16",
   "ring": 26,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T01:03:29Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:1b204a1ef4013b32da4d2c0053a89ef417770d751fb61d89e391517e4fff9974",
   "spec_path": "specs/numeric/gf16.t27",
   "tests": {
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/HSLM.json b/.trinity/seals/HSLM.json
index e3143210b..46cf76e01 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/HSLM.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/HSLM.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:700c64e5be00db51ac30b9da47466b94a31dc394f14918954a94df1ed91be8f6",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:0273f119a74cb3b77d972925aa64e6340a2f84f6b1605b13bd9ab8cba31b3782",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:77c0564db10be29afcc6dda0eab695afdb56acf295b08700ee82bbf58b457772",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:f8a956019cea253548cd3f3eee38d2405cea113b8ee5e66e3d387be41810c697",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:51d88b507c315ec746ec177be352377540d8989ae03666f57d9db787201c57b9",
   "module": "HSLM",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T01:34:16Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:8ea0766984db7775c474eab25dfb14965fa835ce0a56b33173df319fad342182",
   "spec_path": "specs/nn/hslm.t27"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/PropertyTestTemplate.json b/.trinity/seals/PropertyTestTemplate.json
index e84139764..eb5ab2f36 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/PropertyTestTemplate.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/PropertyTestTemplate.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:d530fca4a0eb3f9abeba48d030aae73ee647956eabede18d744ef1eaef0de4f9",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:884ce0da6d12cb6805e570f1a99dbeeffada5f92ace29e969646e38bf97fa25f",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:33aaed851aeafeb8f31da838c2e072debd64328d1c465ac7c0ec62e459632174",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:d0d9df245c4a74c12cdb34fc00370554fe93cc899817b67eebfb8fdc4f3c86a3",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:8d4f14e78a932b8b762312d2c683ae7fade682f7b9e08b6cbdc12e33d7789ba8",
   "module": "PropertyTestTemplate",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-08-28T21:20:51Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:2dae7f68a5651636623154005f92a6e43432b46d72b3bdd45c164df2a38b961c",
   "spec_path": "specs/math/property_test_template.t27"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/cli_gen_commands.json b/.trinity/seals/cli_gen_commands.json
index 65edd6e3e..096d03ce1 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/cli_gen_commands.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/cli_gen_commands.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:dd4db6dff0df04da9fbb36636078a2fc5083b33f34c6e1f1a7ec14fb574b8c41",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:5f95b4c07011f9ca9ea2707084160966f10f52a3d645f83cc3cffb36f3245165",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:4d096f082adf390017c25b642874563896b645747042e098301d213212539f58",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:9438160852d64b29290d043b8901105bae4848dd9275bd4e34f558e06d70c985",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:7b6328077fae13ac3d8cdd17bc883c31b8e9ba99cd56daf86957f330338db7f2",
   "module": "gen_commands",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-07T21:07:03Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.2.0",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:4dd1bf05316f1a0ed952457e8fbbe7e03c51d51b2891c1dfe603db0425b4f2a3",
   "spec_path": "compiler/cli/gen.t27"
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/gen_commands.json b/.trinity/seals/gen_commands.json
index 93db02687..1a06e3a73 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/gen_commands.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/gen_commands.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:dd4db6dff0df04da9fbb36636078a2fc5083b33f34c6e1f1a7ec14fb574b8c41",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:5f95b4c07011f9ca9ea2707084160966f10f52a3d645f83cc3cffb36f3245165",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:4d096f082adf390017c25b642874563896b645747042e098301d213212539f58",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:9438160852d64b29290d043b8901105bae4848dd9275bd4e34f558e06d70c985",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:7b6328077fae13ac3d8cdd17bc883c31b8e9ba99cd56daf86957f330338db7f2",
   "module": "gen_commands",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-08-28T20:32:32Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:4dd1bf05316f1a0ed952457e8fbbe7e03c51d51b2891c1dfe603db0425b4f2a3",
   "spec_path": "compiler/cli/gen.t27"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/math_PropertyTestTemplate.json b/.trinity/seals/math_PropertyTestTemplate.json
index cd9d3d82c..2b785e6f8 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/math_PropertyTestTemplate.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/math_PropertyTestTemplate.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:d530fca4a0eb3f9abeba48d030aae73ee647956eabede18d744ef1eaef0de4f9",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:884ce0da6d12cb6805e570f1a99dbeeffada5f92ace29e969646e38bf97fa25f",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:33aaed851aeafeb8f31da838c2e072debd64328d1c465ac7c0ec62e459632174",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:d0d9df245c4a74c12cdb34fc00370554fe93cc899817b67eebfb8fdc4f3c86a3",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:8d4f14e78a932b8b762312d2c683ae7fade682f7b9e08b6cbdc12e33d7789ba8",
   "module": "PropertyTestTemplate",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-05T10:40:48Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.2.0",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:2dae7f68a5651636623154005f92a6e43432b46d72b3bdd45c164df2a38b961c",
   "spec_path": "specs/math/property_test_template.t27"
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/nn_HSLM.json b/.trinity/seals/nn_HSLM.json
index 5aca051d2..234a11bbf 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/nn_HSLM.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/nn_HSLM.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:700c64e5be00db51ac30b9da47466b94a31dc394f14918954a94df1ed91be8f6",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:0273f119a74cb3b77d972925aa64e6340a2f84f6b1605b13bd9ab8cba31b3782",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:77c0564db10be29afcc6dda0eab695afdb56acf295b08700ee82bbf58b457772",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:f8a956019cea253548cd3f3eee38d2405cea113b8ee5e66e3d387be41810c697",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:51d88b507c315ec746ec177be352377540d8989ae03666f57d9db787201c57b9",
   "module": "HSLM",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T01:34:16Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.2.0",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:8ea0766984db7775c474eab25dfb14965fa835ce0a56b33173df319fad342182",
   "spec_path": "specs/nn/hslm.t27"
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/numeric_triformat-gf16.json b/.trinity/seals/numeric_triformat-gf16.json
index e71b7be43..a3b9b1905 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/numeric_triformat-gf16.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/numeric_triformat-gf16.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:55d2b44f985fbd1be8ec09860670dac3cdd063a1820f051bfbc3bb06f22c0e74",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:54ee54e614f675e28b0f377dfac3bc7c43d4cb721b1f5f5ed19da303d4e6b546",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:1cf53ef31359cc59054b4d9901fb855b6803d61129e35f021f6411d320817f92",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:b375909814c58781db08e9113bf93da4b331d45e8955f04af92309e134436b64",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:fa7ce3a6674834a2e6c9a6c86297b05393a66eed9c4709b0252f0daffa43bf53",
   "module": "triformat-gf16",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T01:03:29Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.2.0",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:1b204a1ef4013b32da4d2c0053a89ef417770d751fb61d89e391517e4fff9974",
   "spec_path": "specs/numeric/gf16.t27"
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/property_test_template.json b/.trinity/seals/property_test_template.json
index cb9c107af..484670011 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/property_test_template.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/property_test_template.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:d530fca4a0eb3f9abeba48d030aae73ee647956eabede18d744ef1eaef0de4f9",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:884ce0da6d12cb6805e570f1a99dbeeffada5f92ace29e969646e38bf97fa25f",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:33aaed851aeafeb8f31da838c2e072debd64328d1c465ac7c0ec62e459632174",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:d0d9df245c4a74c12cdb34fc00370554fe93cc899817b67eebfb8fdc4f3c86a3",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:8d4f14e78a932b8b762312d2c683ae7fade682f7b9e08b6cbdc12e33d7789ba8",
   "module": "property_test_template",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-08-28T21:20:51Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:2dae7f68a5651636623154005f92a6e43432b46d72b3bdd45c164df2a38b961c",
   "spec_path": "specs/math/property_test_template.t27"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/triformat-gf16.json b/.trinity/seals/triformat-gf16.json
index 731a1f580..b85276405 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/triformat-gf16.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/triformat-gf16.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:55d2b44f985fbd1be8ec09860670dac3cdd063a1820f051bfbc3bb06f22c0e74",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:54ee54e614f675e28b0f377dfac3bc7c43d4cb721b1f5f5ed19da303d4e6b546",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:1cf53ef31359cc59054b4d9901fb855b6803d61129e35f021f6411d320817f92",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:b375909814c58781db08e9113bf93da4b331d45e8955f04af92309e134436b64",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:fa7ce3a6674834a2e6c9a6c86297b05393a66eed9c4709b0252f0daffa43bf53",
   "module": "triformat-gf16",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T01:03:29Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:1b204a1ef4013b32da4d2c0053a89ef417770d751fb61d89e391517e4fff9974",
   "spec_path": "specs/numeric/gf16.t27"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/verilog_codegen.json b/.trinity/seals/verilog_codegen.json
index ab23bd5c6..0957608df 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/verilog_codegen.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/verilog_codegen.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:bf1aa7bf56c4135885e1c34df0496f040b85354d3203c0c6fa037092530851e2",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:9bdf9414115dc5e8fd0cb611c2ca21db13acbf41170e6f61e5f34381afa428cd",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:493dfdbbe8fb6c20833938752f1d38e6269276295091fa4cdfc1081b179690e5",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:6f8f90892c3ec1ff69ee038babea3258d40eb05f102c10ef280a70e37aa29199",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:3ca02254ff52c1f2af6b72737baa0668ac3b0b9ba09e423b3ede762d77006153",
   "module": "verilog_codegen",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-07T22:05:57Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:7454245beb5d71c1fff9e450cc1f8a5883c47243aaaac38bac1c7a894287e8db",
   "spec_path": "compiler/codegen/verilog/codegen.t27"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/verilog_verilog_codegen.json b/.trinity/seals/verilog_verilog_codegen.json
index 5356551ff..50e5ad658 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/verilog_verilog_codegen.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/verilog_verilog_codegen.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:bf1aa7bf56c4135885e1c34df0496f040b85354d3203c0c6fa037092530851e2",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:9bdf9414115dc5e8fd0cb611c2ca21db13acbf41170e6f61e5f34381afa428cd",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:493dfdbbe8fb6c20833938752f1d38e6269276295091fa4cdfc1081b179690e5",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:6f8f90892c3ec1ff69ee038babea3258d40eb05f102c10ef280a70e37aa29199",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:3ca02254ff52c1f2af6b72737baa0668ac3b0b9ba09e423b3ede762d77006153",
   "module": "verilog_codegen",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-07T22:05:57Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.2.0",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:7454245beb5d71c1fff9e450cc1f8a5883c47243aaaac38bac1c7a894287e8db",
   "spec_path": "compiler/codegen/verilog/codegen.t27"
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/zig_codegen.json b/.trinity/seals/zig_codegen.json
index 0107d1a40..d68921e1b 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/zig_codegen.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/zig_codegen.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:be1cb9a8eb5bb8c80f63aa8db98b7ed69273a0c4e3e09a62d0fc7efec4bd11b5",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:b0c5a061c88d43df6dca22b0fd0033b58680ebeed138925f7c7158e0f393a341",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:2d422d58b346eb22364a64839b0c48fdef43c9f1a57abd9931e324fe06efdfc2",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:281e5bf4b4bf860712ca54c2b0d173ba6ee0fc6f96043e8c243e9f3e1291a8f1",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:e0de552c5b497d45d640bb9ac9664b1ba515a9d44a2bb280921ffdab5b9fd0f6",
   "module": "zig_codegen",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-08-28T20:32:32Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:face91b2c4dda278c97006286cdbd18e00e2a2d01e9288eeb0d6520aa47f7fce",
   "spec_path": "compiler/codegen/zig/codegen.t27"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.trinity/seals/zig_zig_codegen.json b/.trinity/seals/zig_zig_codegen.json
index bf6ca529b..c17ee15e2 100644
--- a/.trinity/seals/zig_zig_codegen.json
+++ b/.trinity/seals/zig_zig_codegen.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
-  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:be1cb9a8eb5bb8c80f63aa8db98b7ed69273a0c4e3e09a62d0fc7efec4bd11b5",
+  "gen_hash_c": "sha256:b0c5a061c88d43df6dca22b0fd0033b58680ebeed138925f7c7158e0f393a341",
   "gen_hash_rust": "sha256:2d422d58b346eb22364a64839b0c48fdef43c9f1a57abd9931e324fe06efdfc2",
   "gen_hash_verilog": "sha256:281e5bf4b4bf860712ca54c2b0d173ba6ee0fc6f96043e8c243e9f3e1291a8f1",
   "gen_hash_zig": "sha256:e0de552c5b497d45d640bb9ac9664b1ba515a9d44a2bb280921ffdab5b9fd0f6",
   "module": "zig_codegen",
   "ring": 12,
-  "sealed_at": "2026-09-06T07:17:01Z",
+  "sealed_at": "2026-09-08T02:02:02Z",
   "sealed_by": "t27c-bootstrap@0.2.0",
   "spec_hash": "sha256:face91b2c4dda278c97006286cdbd18e00e2a2d01e9288eeb0d6520aa47f7fce",
   "spec_path": "compiler/codegen/zig/codegen.t27"
diff --git a/bootstrap/src/compiler.rs b/bootstrap/src/compiler.rs
index 551061d39..834dc3f4e 100644
--- a/bootstrap/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/bootstrap/src/compiler.rs
@@ -19810,12 +19810,51 @@ impl CCodegen {
                     if let Some(bracket_end) = raw_type.find(']') {
                         let size = &raw_type[1..bracket_end];
                         let elem = &raw_type[bracket_end + 1..];
-                        let c_elem = if Self::is_primitive(elem) {
-                            Self::type_to_c(elem).to_string()
-                        } else {
-                            elem.to_string()
+                        // W583, again and in the other position. That note is
+                        // 200 lines below, on `param_type_to_c`: the gate used
+                        // to be `is_primitive`, "which lists only the integer
+                        // scalars -- so `f32`, `f64`, `str`, `string` and
+                        // `gf16` took the pass-through arm and reached C
+                        // unmapped even after `type_to_c` learned them." The
+                        // repair did not travel here, so a LOCAL array kept the
+                        // pass-through and C received
+                        //
+                        //     GF16 x[4];   error: use of undeclared identifier 'GF16'
+                        //
+                        // while the same element is `uint16_t` in both a
+                        // parameter (`uint16_t a[static 4]`) and a struct field
+                        // (`uint16_t f[4];`). `type_to_c` passes a genuinely
+                        // custom type through unchanged, so the gate only ever
+                        // suppressed correct mappings -- the same sentence that
+                        // retired it downstairs.
+                        // `[]const u8` carries the qualifier INSIDE the
+                        // element, so the element text is the literal
+                        // "const u8" and C received `const u8* x` --
+                        // "unknown type name 'u8'". `param_type_to_c` strips
+                        // it for a slice parameter; the same strip is needed
+                        // here.
+                        let elem = elem.trim();
+                        let (qual, elem) = match elem.strip_prefix("const ") {
+                            Some(rest) => ("const ", rest.trim()),
+                            None => ("", elem),
                         };
-                        self.write(&format!("{} {}[{}]", c_elem, node.name, size));
+                        let c_elem = format!("{}{}", qual, Self::type_to_c(elem));
+                        if size.is_empty() && node.children.is_empty() {
+                            // A slice `[]T` has no compile-time length, and
+                            // `uint8_t x[];` is not a definition -- clang says
+                            // "definition of variable with array type needs an
+                            // explicit size or an initializer".
+                            //
+                            // ONLY when there is no initialiser. `T x[] = {…}`
+                            // is legal C and takes its size from the list, and
+                            // rewriting that to `T* x = {…}` made the one
+                            // corpus file carrying the shape WORSE -- measured,
+                            // +5 errors and nothing better, which is how this
+                            // condition got here.
+                            self.write(&format!("{}* {}", c_elem, node.name));
+                        } else {
+                            self.write(&format!("{} {}[{}]", c_elem, node.name, size));
+                        }
                     } else {
                         self.write(&format!("int {}", node.name));
                     }
diff --git a/bootstrap/stage0/FROZEN_HASH b/bootstrap/stage0/FROZEN_HASH
index 5eb10ffc1..512a5ec1c 100644
--- a/bootstrap/stage0/FROZEN_HASH
+++ b/bootstrap/stage0/FROZEN_HASH
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7ca9bc868124840670ac04c1173056ef70c5a6f4850fae5c533039c31534e974 bootstrap/src/compiler.rs
+911a664330ef073a4a89924d1d8c2838f400ce978c735258c3a1dfbb91b1fede bootstrap/src/compiler.rs
diff --git a/bootstrap/tests/c_local_array_types.rs b/bootstrap/tests/c_local_array_types.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3590684cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap/tests/c_local_array_types.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+//! The element type of a LOCAL array must be lowered, not passed through.
+//!
+//! `var x : [4]GF16;` reached C as `GF16 x[4];` -- `use of undeclared
+//! identifier 'GF16'` -- while the SAME element is `uint16_t` in a parameter
+//! (`uint16_t a[static 4]`) and in a struct field (`uint16_t f[4];`).
+//!
+//! The gate was `is_primitive`, and this is W583 a second time. That note sits
+//! on `param_type_to_c` two hundred lines away and says it exactly: the gate
+//! "lists only the integer scalars -- so `f32`, `f64`, `str`, `string` and
+//! `gf16` took the pass-through arm and reached C unmapped even after
+//! `type_to_c` learned them". The repair never travelled to the local path.
+//!
+//! Every assertion here hands the header to `cc`, because the text `GF16 x[4]`
+//! and `uint16_t x[4]` are equally plausible-looking and only a compiler
+//! separates them.
+
+use std::process::Command;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering};
+
+static N: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
+
+fn cc_present() -> bool {
+    Command::new("cc").arg("--version").output().map(|o| o.status.success()).unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
+fn local_decl(ty: &str, init: Option<&str>) -> (String, String) {
+    let d = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+        "t27c-clocal-{}-{}",
+        std::process::id(),
+        N.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed)
+    ));
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&d);
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&d).expect("create temp dir");
+    let body = match init {
+        Some(i) => format!("var x : {ty} = {i};"),
+        None => format!("var x : {ty};"),
+    };
+    let p = d.join("in.t27");
+    std::fs::write(
+        &p,
+        format!("module P {{\n    struct Pair {{ a : i32, b : i32, }}\n    fn probe(v: i32) -> i32 {{ {body} return 0; }}\n}}\n"),
+    )
+    .expect("write spec");
+    let out = Command::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_t27c"))
+        .arg("gen-c")
+        .arg(&p)
+        .output()
+        .expect("run t27c");
+    assert!(out.status.success(), "gen-c failed: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr));
+    let h = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).to_string();
+    let line = h
+        .lines()
+        .find(|l| l.trim_start().starts_with(|c: char| c.is_alphabetic()) && l.contains(" x") && l.trim_end().ends_with(';'))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("no local declaration for `{ty}` in:\n{h}"))
+        .trim()
+        .to_string();
+    (line, h)
+}
+
+fn errors(header: &str, tag: &str) -> String {
+    let d = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("t27c-clocal-cc-{tag}-{}", std::process::id()));
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&d);
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&d).expect("dir");
+    let p = d.join("h.h");
+    std::fs::write(&p, header).expect("write");
+    let out = Command::new("cc")
+        .args(["-std=c11", "-Wall", "-Wextra", "-Wno-unused-parameter", "-fsyntax-only", "-x", "c"])
+        .arg(&p)
+        .output()
+        .expect("cc");
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).to_string()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_gf16_array_local_uses_the_c_element_type() {
+    let (line, h) = local_decl("[4]GF16", None);
+    assert_eq!(line, "uint16_t x[4];", "got `{line}`");
+    if cc_present() {
+        let e = errors(&h, "gf16");
+        assert!(!e.contains("error"), "and it must compile:\n{e}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_float_array_local_uses_the_c_element_type() {
+    // `f32`/`f64` were the types the W583 note named first, and they were still
+    // passing through here.
+    for (t, want) in [("[4]f64", "double x[4];"), ("[4]f32", "float x[4];")] {
+        let (line, h) = local_decl(t, None);
+        assert_eq!(line, want, "for `{t}` got `{line}`");
+        if cc_present() {
+            assert!(!errors(&h, "float").contains("error"), "`{t}` must compile");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_declared_struct_element_still_passes_through() {
+    // The negative half: `type_to_c` passes a genuinely custom type through
+    // unchanged, and it must -- `Pair` IS the C spelling, via the typedef.
+    // A mapping that rewrote everything would break this.
+    let (line, h) = local_decl("[4]Pair", None);
+    assert_eq!(line, "Pair x[4];", "got `{line}`");
+    if cc_present() {
+        assert!(!errors(&h, "pair").contains("error"), "and it must compile");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_slice_local_without_an_initialiser_is_a_pointer() {
+    // `uint8_t x[];` is not a definition: "definition of variable with array
+    // type needs an explicit size or an initializer".
+    let (line, h) = local_decl("[]u8", None);
+    assert_eq!(line, "uint8_t* x;", "got `{line}`");
+    if cc_present() {
+        assert!(!errors(&h, "slice").contains("error"), "and it must compile");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_slice_local_WITH_an_initialiser_keeps_the_array_form() {
+    // `T x[] = { ... }` is legal C and takes its size from the list. Rewriting
+    // THAT to a pointer made the one corpus file carrying the shape worse --
+    // +5 errors, nothing better. This test is that measurement, kept.
+    let (line, _h) = local_decl("[]i32", Some("[1, 2, 3]"));
+    assert!(
+        line.starts_with("int32_t x[]"),
+        "an initialised slice local keeps the sized-by-initialiser array form; got `{line}`"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_const_qualified_slice_element_is_lowered() {
+    // `[]const u8` carries the qualifier inside the element, so the element
+    // text is the literal "const u8" and C received `const u8* x` --
+    // "unknown type name 'u8'".
+    let (line, h) = local_decl("[]const u8", None);
+    assert_eq!(line, "const uint8_t* x;", "got `{line}`");
+    if cc_present() {
+        assert!(!errors(&h, "constslice").contains("error"), "and it must compile");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docs/now/2026-09-08-the-limit-was-censoring-every-total.md b/docs/now/2026-09-08-the-limit-was-censoring-every-total.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4abc93d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/now/2026-09-08-the-limit-was-censoring-every-total.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# NOW -- The limit was censoring every total (2026-09-08)
+
+## The limit was censoring every total (Closes #3448)
+
+- **Every error count I published this session was a floor.** Clang stops at `-ferror-limit=20` per file by default, and **141 files reach it**. The corpus emits **15133** errors, not the 3849 I have been reporting. The per-file splits were sound because they were counted per file; the totals were not. Re-measured without the limit, the previous pass's change moved **15188 → 15133 (−55)**, not the −24 published. The number was never wrong about direction and was wrong about size, and I only found it because a fix that removed real errors showed a **zero** delta -- three files that each sat exactly at 20 before and after.
+- The fix itself is W583 in a position its own repair never reached. `var x : [4]GF16;` emitted `GF16 x[4];` -- `use of undeclared identifier` -- while the same element is `uint16_t` in a parameter and in a struct field. The local path gated on `is_primitive`, and the note retiring that gate sits **two hundred lines below in the same file**, naming `f32`, `f64`, `str`, `string` and `gf16` as the types it swallowed.
+- Two more in the same eight lines: `var x : []u8;` emitted `uint8_t x[];`, which is not a definition, and `var x : []const u8;` emitted `const u8* x` because the qualifier lives inside the element text. Measured: **15133 → 15126**, three files better, **zero worse**.
+- **The first version of the slice repair was wrong and the corpus said so.** Rewriting every `[]T` local to a pointer broke `T x[] = {…}`, which is legal C and takes its size from the initialiser list: +5 errors and nothing better, in the one file carrying the shape. The condition `size.is_empty() && node.children.is_empty()` is that measurement, kept as code.
+- The table's fourth position measured the wrong thing first, too. `var x : T;` with no initialiser: C and Rust declare it, Zig and Verilog emit **nothing** -- so the probe was reading their dead-code removal rather than their lowering. Initialising from a parameter of the same type fixed it, and the self-check now covers all four positions.
diff --git a/tools/backend_parity_table.py b/tools/backend_parity_table.py
index eff6796a5..1293a8506 100755
--- a/tools/backend_parity_table.py
+++ b/tools/backend_parity_table.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 
 ROOT = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-POSITIONS = ("param", "return", "field")
+POSITIONS = ("param", "return", "field", "local")
 
 # One row per declaration form. Kept deliberately small and hand-chosen: the
 # point is a page a person reads, not exhaustive coverage of the type surface.
@@ -94,6 +94,13 @@ def t27c() -> str:
     "return": "    fn probe(v: i32) -> {t} {{ return 0; }}\n",
     "field": ("    struct Holder {{ f : {t}, g : i32, }}\n"
               "    fn probe(h: Holder) -> i32 {{ return h.g; }}\n"),
+    # The local is initialised FROM A PARAMETER of the same type, which keeps
+    # one probe for every form -- a per-type literal would be a second thing
+    # that can be wrong. It also has to be initialised at all: `var x : T;`
+    # parses, and C and Rust declare it, but Zig and Verilog emit NOTHING for
+    # an uninitialised local, so that probe measured their dead-code removal
+    # rather than their lowering.
+    "local": "    fn probe(p: {t}) -> i32 {{ var x : {t} = p; return 0; }}\n",
 }
 
 # One pattern per (position, backend). Three positions, because the same
@@ -110,6 +117,14 @@ def t27c() -> str:
         "Zig": r"^(?:pub )?fn probe\([^)]*\)\s*([^{\n]+)",
         "Verilog": r"function\s+([^;\n]*?)\s*\bprobe;",
     },
+    "local": {
+        # The declarator only, up to `=` -- the initialiser is the same in
+        # every row and would just push the type out of the column.
+        "C": r"^\s{4}([^\n;=]*\bx(?:\[[^\]]*\])*)\s*(?:=[^\n;]*)?;",
+        "Rust": r"^\s{4}(let (?:mut )?x:[^=;\n]*)",
+        "Zig": r"^\s{4}((?:var|const) x:[^=;\n]*)",
+        "Verilog": r"^\s*(reg[^\n;]*\bx\b[^\n;]*);",
+    },
     "field": {
         "C": r"struct Holder \{[^}]*?\n\s*([^\n;]*\bf(?:\[[^\]]*\])*)\s*;",
         "Rust": r"pub struct Holder \{[^}]*?\n\s*(pub f:[^,\n]*)",