L, the Sütterlin letter l

History

The letter L is the 12th letter of the German alphabet. Phonetically, it represents an alveolar lateral approximant /l/, clear and unvelarized across standard German dialects.

Sütterlin lowercase l is an upright oval loop occupying the upper and middle zones, touching the top guideline and baseline with rounded contours. Capital L begins with a top loop, drops straight to a base loop, and finishes with a clean horizontal baseline stroke.

The letter l occurs frequently in German geographical and administrative entries, from 'Land' (state) and 'Leipzig' to 'Ledig' (unmarried) and 'Lehrer' (teacher). Its smooth single loop contrasts with the complex multi-stroke letters around it.

L began as an ox goad, a stick set with spikes for driving oxen,^[1] which became the Phoenician lamed, for l.^[2] Early Greek lambda was still drawn much like lamed, as a stroke with a spur,^[3] and the Etruscans kept that archaic form, which the Romans then took over.^[4] When Latin's writing direction changed, L was turned to face right but otherwise kept unchanged.^[5]