Final answer:
Idghaam in Arabic phonetics is exemplified by the assimilation of the 'l' in 'al-' when it precedes a sun letter, resulting in a doubled consonant. English spelling rules for [l] include simple addition and assimilation in prefixes, with the pronunciation affected by the placement within a word. The spelling of [l] is nearly always or , except for a few exceptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Idghaam in Arabic and Spelling of [l] in English
In Arabic phonetics, the term idghaam refers to the merging of two letters, such as when the /l/ of the Arabic definite article al- assimilates to the initial consonant of the following noun if it's a sun letter, resulting in a doubled consonant. For example, one would say an-Nīl instead of al-Nīl for "the Nile" in Arabic. On the other hand, when it comes to English spelling, the doubling of the letter can occur due to simple addition (heel + less = heelless) or assimilation in a prefix (com + lect = collect). Additionally, the spelling of the sound [l] can influence the pronunciation of the word, such as the letter before at the end of a free stem producing a short o sound as in ball [], while in the prefix assimilation, letters like m, d, and n can change to l in the formation of certain words.
The rules for pronunciation and spelling for [l] are quite consistent in English, with and being almost 100% of the time the spellings for this sound, except for a few exceptions like isle, island, and aisle. It's also important to recognize the difference between soft (as in gem) and hard (as in gum), which can add further nuances to English pronunciation and spelling.