Consonants /j/ versus /ʤ/, 54 pairs     [yakjack.html]

The /j/ sound is spelled with <y>, <ew> in ewe and is heard in the letter name U. The /ʤ/ sound is spelled with <j> or <g>. Notice how the homograph use makes pairs with Jews and juice.

This is a contrast between a palatal semivowel and an alveolar affricate, both voiced. It only ocurs initially. It is a known problem for Swedish speakers, perhaps partly influenced by the spelling.

The mean density value is 1.5%. The lists make 27 semantic distinctions, a loading of 50%.

  
ewe Jew
  ewes Jews
Ewell jewel
U Jew 
  U's Jews 
use Jews
use juice 
  uses juices 
yacht jot 
  yachted jotted 
  yachting jotting 
  yachts jots 
yak jack 
  yaks jacks 
yam jam 
  yams jams
yam jamb
  yams jambs 
yard jarred 
yarrow Jarrow 
yaw jaw 
  yawed jawed 
  yawing jawing 
  yaws jaws 
ye G 
yea J 
  yeas J's 
year jeer 
  years jeers
yell gel 
  yelled gelled 
  yelling gelling 
  yells gels 
yen gen 
  yenned genned 
  yenning genning 
  yens gens 
yes Jess 
yet jet 
yeti jetty 
  yetis jetties 
yob job 
  yobs jobs 
yoke joke 
  yoked joked 
  yokes jokes 
  yoking joking 
yon John
yore jaw 
you Jew
your jaw
  yours jaws
yowl jowl 
  yowls jowls 

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