The word "forland" is spelled with the letter "o" instead of "a" because it is derived from the Old Norse word "fornland," which means "ancient land." In IPA phonetic transcription, "forland" is pronounced as /fɔːrlənd/. The "o" is pronounced as a long vowel /ɔː/ and the "r" is pronounced with a slight emphasis, making it a rolled or trilled sound /r/. Overall, the spelling accurately reflects the pronunciation of the word in its original language.