Minimal Pair List Consonants /b/ versus /j/, 96 pairs


   Minimal pair: Consonants /b/ versus /j/, 96 pairs

All the contrasts except halberd/halliard occur at the start of the word since /j/ can only occur in syllable-initial position. The spelling of /b/ is <b> throughout. The /j/ sound is <y> except in halliard .

The contrast is between a plosive and a semivowel, both voiced but widely separated in the mouth. Confusions are not likely.

Interesting pairs include:

bowman yeoman
burly yearly

The mean density value is 1.4%. The list makes 63 semantic distinctions, a loading of 66%.

B ye
baa yah
baa'd yard
back yak
  backs yaks
bait Yate 
baits Yeats	
baize yeas
balk York 
ball yawl
  balls yawls
bank yank 
  banked yanked
  banking yanking
  banks yanks  
bar yah		
bard yard
barn yarn
  barns yarns
barrow yarrow
bate Yate 
bates Yeats
bawd yawed
bay yea	 
bays yeas
be ye
beast yeast	
bee ye
beer year	
  beers years
bell yell
  belled yelled
  bells yells
  belling yelling
belle yell
  belles yells  
bellow yellow
  bellowed yellowed
  bellowing yellowing
  bellows yellows
ben yen
  bens yens
bend yenned
Bern yearn
Bess yes
bet yet
Betty yeti	 
bey yea
beys yeas
bier year
  biers years
boar yaw
  boars yaws
boar yore
board yawed
bob yob
  bobs yobs
bogey yogi
  bogeys yogis
Bonn yon
boo ewe
  boos ewes
boo U 
  boos U's 
boo you
boor ewer
  boors ewers
boor you're
boost used
booth youth
  booths youths
booze ewes
booze use
  boozed used
  boozes uses
  boozing using
boozer user
  boozers users
bore yaw
  bores yaws
bore yore
bored yawed
born yawn
borne yawn
Bourne yawn
bowman yeoman
bung young
burly yearly
burn yearn
  burned yearned
  burning yearning
  burns yearns
burr year
  burrs years
halberd halliard
  halberds halliards

.