Consonants /k/ versus /ŋ/, 120 pairs     [pickping.html]

The /k/ sound is spelled with <c>, <ck>, <ch> in choleric, and the cluster /ks/ is spelled with <x> in six. The /ŋ/ sound is spelled <ng>. The contrast can only occur finally. A number of the pairs are made from an -ic adjective and an –ing verb form, such as basic/basing.

The contrast is between a voiceless velar stop and a voiced velar nasal continuant. It does not cause many listening problems.

The program picked out two pairs, musically/musingly and topically/toppingly, in which the first item might be given three syllable or four, so these are of doubtful status. Other interesting pairs include:

choleric collaring
seasick ceasing

The mean density value is 0.8%. The list makes 69 semantic distinctions, a loading of 58%.

 
amuck among 
axed angst 
back bang
  backing banging
  backed banged
  backs bangs
backer banger
  backers bangers
basic basing
boric boring
brick bring
  bricking bringing
  bricks brings
buck bung
  bucking bunging
  bucks bungs
  bucked bunged
choleric collaring
civic sieving
clack clang
  clacks clangs
  clacking clanging
  clacked clanged
click cling
  clicking clinging
  clicks clings
cluck clung
conic conning
cubic cubing
cyclic cycling
duck dung
epic Epping 
flick fling
  flicking flinging
  flicks flings
formic forming
hack hang
  hacking hanging
  hacks hangs
  hacked hanged
Hawick hawing
kick king
  kicks kings
laic laying
lick ling
lock long
  locking longing
  locks longs
  locked longed
logic lodging 
luck lung
music musing
musically musingly
mystic misting 
optic opting
pack pang
  packs pangs
panic panning
physic fizzing 
pick ping
  picking pinging
  picks pings
  picked pinged
rack rang
rick ring
  ricking ringing
  ricks rings
rock wrong
  rocking wronging
  rocks wrongs
  rocked wronged
ruck rung
  rucks rungs
rustic rusting
sack sang
seasick ceasing 
sick sing		   
sicking singing
six sings
slack slang
  slacking slanging
  slacks slangs
  slacked slanged
slick sling
  slicks slings
slicker slinger
  slickers slingers
sock song
  socks songs
stick sting
  sticking stinging
  sticks stings
sticker stinger
  stickers stingers
stoic stowing
struck strung
suck sung
tack tang
tacky tangy
  tackier tangier
  tackiest tangiest
tannic tanning
thick thing
tick ting
  ticking tinging
  ticks tings
  ticked tinged
topic topping
topically toppingly
trick Tring 
tuck tongue 
  tucks tongues
tunic tuning   
wax whangs
whack whang
  whacking whanging
  whacks whangs
wick wing
  wicks wings
wicker winger

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, July 2010.