L L, 1, the 12th letter in the English alphabet, generally regarded as a semi- vowel or a liquid. In shape it has been derived from that of the Oriental lamed. L. has only one sound in English, as in love, long, like, etc. L is frequently in- terchanged with r, of which it is con- sidered to be a later modification: thus the Latin lavendula has become in Eng- lish lavender; the Latin peregrinus (French pelerin) has become the English pilgrim; the Latin sinoplum, English sinoper. L has become an n, as in pos- tern, Latin posterula (Old French post- erle, posterne) . In some Romance words it has been weakened to u, as in hauberk = 01d French halberc, halbert; auburn = Latin alburnum. From several words it has disappeared, as from each = Anglo-Saxon selc; which = Anglo-Saxon hwylc; such =: Anglo-Saxon iwylc; as = Anglo-Saxon ealswa (also). On the other hand it has intruded into could = Anglo-Saxon cuthe, coude; myrtle = Latin myrtus; manciple ==; Old French mancipe; Latin mancipium,; participle = Old French participe; Latin partici- piiim; syllable=Latin syllaba. In Anglo- Saxon 1, like r, was frequently preceded by h, which has since been dropped, as in loaf = Anglo-Saxon hldf; ot=:hlot, etc. As an initial L is used: For book (Latin liber), for law or laws, in D. C. L.=3 Doctor of Civil Law, LL. D.=: Legum Doctor; in mathematics for logarithm; in music for left : as L. H.= left hand, and in stage directions for left, or prompt side. As a symbol L is used: 1. In numeration: For 50; with a line drawn above it L = 50,000. 2. In chemistry: For Lithium (q. v.). 3. In English commercial transac- tions: For a pound or pounds; as L (usually written £) s. d.— pounds, shil- Imgs, and pence. L railroads, the name given in Ameri- can cities to the lines of intramural transportation which are elevated above the surface of the earth. The L is a symbolic representation of the first syl- lable in the word elevated. IiA (la), in music the 6th of the seven syllables — ut, or, do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si — representing the seven sounds in the dia- tonic scale. LAAGER, In South African cam- paigning, a camp made by a ring of ox wagons set close together, the spaces be- neath being filled up with the baggage of the company. LAALAND (la'land), or LOLLAND (lol'land), a Danish island in the Baltic, at the S. entrance to the Great Belt, 36 miles long by 9 to 15 broad; area 445 square miles. The surface is remark- ably flat, and the soil exceedingly fruit- ful; forests of beech and oak cover up- ward of 50 square miles. Capital Maribo; largest town Nakskov; pop. of island about 70,000. LABARUM (lab'-), the standard of Constantine the Great, adopted by him after his conversion to Christianity. It was marked with his seal, which con- sisted of a monogram of the first two letters (X P) of the Greek name of Christ, interlaced and crossed. Some- times the X, instead of retaining its ordinary position, is placed upright and surmounted by the P. These letters are often accompanied with the Greek alpha and omega, and circumscribed with a circle. LA BASSEE, a town in France, in Nord department, on the Canal of La Bassee, 13 miles S. E. of Lille. It was taken by the Germans in October, 1914, during the great race to the sea. In collecting their forces around Lille the Germans sought to extend their front to La Bassee, and by throwing a barrier across the intervening space to the North Sea attempted to sever the territorial 380
