Minimal Pair List Consonants /b/ versus /ŋ/, 38 pairs
The spelling of /b/ is always <b> or <bb>. The /ŋ/ sound is <ng>. It can only occur finally in the syllable and must be preceded by a short vowel, which restricts the number of pairs.
The contrast is between a plosive and a nasal continuant, both voiced but widely separated in the mouth. Confusions are not likely.
Nearly all the pairs are monosyllables, often of the same part of speech which means there are few interesting pairs. Closest is tabby/tangy . Very close to being a minimal pair is blob/belong , but I have not included it in the main list. There are many occurrences of /ŋ/ in the dictionary, but most of them are -ing forms of verbs which do not make minimal contrasts within the inflection. The only contrasts which we have found involving -ing inflections are spare-rib/sparing and pen-nib/penning , neither of which is completely minimal in that there are stress differences and small differences in the length of the medial consonant.
The mean density value is 0.4%. The list makes 19 semantic distinctions, a loading of 51%.
Babs bangs club clung dub dung fab fang gab gang gob gong gobs gongs hub hung Lib ling lob long lobbed longed lobbing longing lobs longs rib ring ribbed ringed ribbing ringing ribs rings rob wrong robbed wronged robbing wronging robs wrongs rub rung rubs rungs slab slang slabs slangs sob song sobs songs stub stung sub sung tab tang tabs tangs tabby tangy throb throng throbbed thronged throbbing thronging throbs throngs tub tongue tubs tongues
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