Minimal Pair List Consonants /h/ versus /j/, 84 pairs
The /h/ sound is spelled with <h> or <wh> in whose . The /j/ sound is spelled with <y>. Notice how the unstable pronunciation of year allows pairs with her and hear .
This is a contrast between a voiceless glottal fricative and a voiced palatal semivowel, only occurring in syllable-initial position. It is not a problem.
The mean density value is 2.4%. The lists make 50 semantic distinctions, a loading of 60%.
ha yah hack yak hacks yaks hall yawl halls yawls ham yam hams yams hammer yammer hammered yammered hammering yammering hammers yammers hank Yank hanks Yanks hanky Yankee hankies Yankees hap yap happed yapped happing yapping haps yaps hard yard harrow yarrow harows yarrows hate Yate haul yawl hauls yawls haw yaw hawed yawed hawing yawing haws yaws haw yore haw your hawk York hay yea haze yeas he ye healed yield heeled yield hear year hears years held yelled hell yell hells yells help yelp helped yelped helping yelping helps yelps hen yen hens yens her year hers years Herne yearn hippie yippee hoar yore hoar your hoax yokes hob yob hobs yobs Hon yon Hoo ewe Hoo U Hoo you horn yawn horned yawned horning yawning horns yawns hot yacht hots yachts hotted yachted hotting yachting howl yowl howled yowled howling yowling howls yowls hung young hunger younger hurling yearling who ewe who U who you whose U's whore yaw whores yaws whore yore whore your
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