Minimal Pair List Consonants /ʃ/ versus /n/, 162 pairs
The /ʃ/ sound is spelled with <sh> or <ch>. The /n/ sound is spelled with <n>, <nn> or <gn> in gnaw .
This is a contrast between a voiceless fricative and a voiced nasal continuant, both in the alveolar region of the mpouth. It is not a problem.
Taboo word pairs include shag/nag and shit/knit .
The contrast occurs in the common collocation "naming and shaming" applied to newspaper exposure of wrongdoing or inefficiency. Other interesting pairs include:
famish famine
shadier nadir
shield kneeled
The mean density value is 0.9%. The list makes 97 semantic distinctions, a loading of 60%.
ash Ann ashy Annie bash ban bashing banning bashed banned bashed bant blushed blunt Boche Bonn borsch Bourne brash bran brushed brunt cache can caching canning cached cant cash can cashing canning cashed canned cashed cant chaise neighs clash clan cosh con coshing conning coshed conned crèche crane crashes crannies dash Dan dish din dishing dinning dished dinned dished dint elfish elfin famish famine fish Finn fish fin flash flan gnashes nannies gosh gone gush gun gushing gunning gushed gunned gusher gunner gushers gunners hush Hun hushed hunt hushes honeys Josh John leash lean mash man mashing manning mashed manned masher manner mashers manners mesh men meshed meant mushy money plash plan plashing planning rash ran rush run rushing running rushy runny rushier runnier rushiest runniest rushed runt shack knack shacks knacks shade neighed shadier nadir shag nag shagged nagged shagging nagging shags nags shaker nacre shale nail shame name shamed named shames names shaming naming shape nape shapes napes share ne'er shark nark sharks narks shat Nat shat gnat shatter natter shattered nattered shattering nattering shatters natters shave knave shaves knaves she knee shear near sheared neared shears nears shearing nearing sheer near sheerer nearer sheerest nearest shed Ned shell Nell shield kneeled shifty nifty shiftier niftier shiftiest niftiest shine nine shines nines ship nip shipped nipped shipping nipping ships nips shipper nipper shippers nippers shire nigher shock knock shocked knocked shocking knocking shocks knocks shocker knocker shockers knockers shoal knoll shoals knolls shod nod shoe gnu shoes gnus shoo gnu shoos gnus shook nook shore gnaw shored gnawed shores gnaws shore nor short nought shorts noughts shorten Norton shot knot shots knots shout knout shouts knouts show know showing knowing shown known shows knows show no showed node shows nose shun none shun nun shuns nuns shut nut shuts nuts shutting nutting shy nigh shyer nigher shyest nighest stash Stan wash wan washed want wish whin wishes whinnies wish win wishing winning
.
