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-- Syllables are linguistic units centering in peaks which are usually vocalic but, as has been noted, are consonantal under certain circumstances, and which may or may not be combined with preceding and/or following consonants or combinations of consonants.

Syllables are genuine units, but division of words and sentences into them presents great difficulties.

Sometimes even the number of syllables is not clear.

Doubt on this point is strongest before /l/ and AAb/ or /r/.

From the point of view of word formation real might be expected to have two syllables.

Historically re is the formative that is employed also in republic, and al is the common suffix.

When ity is added, real clearly has two syllables.

But there is every reason to regard deal as a monosyllable, and because of the fact that /l/ commonly has the quality of AAb/ when it follows vowel sounds, deal seems to be a perfectly satisfactory rhyme with deal.