Final answer:
The word 'delight' is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable. English spelling patterns for the [d] sound before 'le' depend on whether the preceding vowel sound is short (spelled with double 'dd') or long (spelled with single 'd').
Step-by-step explanation:
The word delight has its accented syllable at the beginning, so it should be pronounced as /dɪˈlaɪt/ with the emphasis on the first syllable. When analyzing the pattern for how the accented syllable appears in words, especially in words ending in <dle> or <ddle>, we note that the vowel before the 'd' or 'dd' sounds can indicate if the [d] is spelled with a single or double 'd'.
- In words where there is an <le> right after a [d] and a consonant or long vowel sound right in front of it, such as 'noodle' and 'candle', the [d] is spelled with a single <d>.
- On the other hand, when there is an <le> after a [d] and a short vowel sound right in front of it, as in 'griddle' and 'cuddle', the [d] is spelled with double <dd>.
Additionally, we often find that in English spelling, a short vowel sound is usually indicated by a VCle pattern, whereas a long vowel sound often follows a VCCle pattern.