  Many characteristics of dwarf carbon stars are broadly consistent with a
binary origin, including mass transfer from an evolved companion. While the
population overall appears to have old-disc or halo kinematics, roughly
2$\,$per cent of these stars exhibit H$\alpha$ emission, which in low-mass
main-sequence stars is generally associated with rotation and relative youth.
Its presence in an older population therefore suggests either irradiation or
spin-up. This study presents time-series analyses of photometric and
radial-velocity data for seven dwarf carbon stars with H$\alpha$ emission. All
are shown to have photometric periods in the range 0.2--5.2$\,$d, and orbital
periods of similar length, consistent with tidal synchronisation. It is
hypothesised that dwarf carbon stars with emission lines are the result of
close-binary evolution, indicating that low-mass, metal-weak or metal-poor
stars can accrete substantial material prior to entering a common-envelope
phase.
