Consonants /d/ versus /j/, 50 pairs     [damyam.html]

The /d/ sound is spelled with <d>, and the /j/ sound is <y>, but is also <i> in poniard and occurs in the letter name U and in words beginning <ew>. Since /j/ can only occur at the start of the syllable in RP, all contrasts are initial.

The contrast is between a voiced stop and a voiced semivowel. It is not a problem for learners.

The only interesting pair to emerge was pondered/poniard, rather too archaic to matter.

The mean density value is 0.4%. The list makes 29 semantic distinctions, a loading of 58%.

 
D ye
dam yam
  dams yams
damn yam  
  damns yams
dank yank
darn yarn
  darned yarned
  darning yarning
  darns yarns
date Yate
dates Yeats
daw yaw
  daws yaws
daw yore
dawn yawn
  dawned yawned
  dawning yawning
  dawns yawns
day yea
  days yeas
daze yeas  
dear year
  dears years
debt yet
deer year
dell yell
  dells yells
den yen
  dens yens
do ewe
  do's ewes
do U
  do's U's
do yew
  do's yews
do you
doer ewer
  doers ewers
don yon
door yaw
  doors yaws
door yore
dot yacht
  dots yachts
  dotted yachted
  dotting yachting
dour you're
dung young
pondered poniard

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, March 2010
updated Chiang Mai, 2024