Consonants /g/ versus /v/, 91 pairs     [ogleoval.html]

The spelling of /g/ is <g> or <gg>, but we also see <gh> in ghastly. The /v/ sound is spelled <v>.

This is a contrast between a stop and a fricative, both voiced but well separated in the mouth. It does not cause any problems.

Interesting pairs include:

eagerly evilly
ghastly vastly
leggy levee

The figure for the mean density is 1.5%. The set makes 47 semantic contrasts, a loading of 52%.

    
aghast avast
beggarly Beverley 
beleaguer believer
  beleaguers believers
Doug dove
drogue drove
  drogues droves
dug dove
  dugs doves 
eagerly evilly
eagle evil
  eagles evils
Gael vale
  Gaels vales
Gael vaeil
  Gaels veils
gaggle gavel
  gaggles gavels
gain vain
gain vein
  gained veined
  gaining veining
  gains veins  
gain vane
  gains vanes
gale vale
  gales vales
gale veil
  gales veils  
galley valley
  galleys valleys
gamp vamp
  gamps vamps
garnish varnish
  garnished varnished
  garnishes varnishes
  garnishing varnishing
gasolene vaseline
gat vat
  gats vats
gaunt vaunt
gear veer
  geared veered
  gearing veering
  gears veers
geezer visa
  geezers visas
get vet
  getting vetting
  gets vets
ghastly vastly
ghee V 
Ghent vent
gig give
  gigs gives
goal vole
  goals voles
goat vote
  goats votes
golly volley
guessed vest
guest vest
  guests vests
guide vied
guile vile
guy vie
  guying vying
  guys vies
  guyed vied
hag have
  hags haves
lag lav
  lags lavs
league leave
  leagues leaves
  leaguing leaving
leggy levee
lug love 
  lugged loved 
  lugging loving 
  lugs loves 
lugger lover 
  luggers lovers 
ogle oval
  ogles ovals
ogre over
  ogres overs
rigger river
  riggers rivers
rogue rove
  rogues roves

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, September 2010.