L

the twelfth letter of the English alphabet, is usually denominated a semi-vowel, or a liquid. Its shape is evidently borrowed from that of the Oriental lamed, or lomad, nearly coinciding with the Samaritan 𐤋. L has only one sound in English, as in like, canal. At the end of monosyllables, it is often doubled, as in fall, full, tell, bell; but not after diphthongs and digraphs, as in foul, fool, prowl, growl, foal. In English words, the terminating syllable le is unaccented, the e is silent, and l forms a syllable by itself, as in able, eagle, pronounced ābl, ēgl. [See Prin. of Pron., § 79.] In etymologies, l is interchangeable with r, n, m, d, i, u.