Minimal Pair List Consonants /ʃ/ versus /ʒ/, 10 pairs


   Minimal pair: Consonants /ʃ/ versus /ʒ/, 10 pairs

The /ʃ/ sound is spelled with <sh>, <ti>, <ci> or <che>. The /ʒ/ sound is spelled with <si>, <su>, <zu> or <ge>.

This is a contrast between two alveolar fricatives, distinguished only by voicing. Even native speakers may have a problem, but the contrast is so rare that it hardly matters.

The mean density value is very low at 0.2%. The list makes 6 semantic distinctions, a loading of 60%.

Aleutian allusion	
  Aleutians allusions
Asher azure
Confucian confusion	 
  Confucians confusions
dilution delusion	  
  dilutions delusions	
mesher measure	
  meshers measures
ruche rouge  


(With thanks to Petr Rösel of Mainz.)