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Consonants /b/ versus /n/, 321 pairs     

The spelling of /b/ is always <b> or <bb>. The /n/ sound is <n>, <nn>, <gn> as in gnash and gnat or <kn> as in knell and know. Notice how the homograph bow enters pairs with know and now, while the partial homograph Job pairs with Joan when capitalised and with John when not.

The contrast is between a plosive and a nasal continuant, both voiced but fairly well separated in the mouth. Confusions are not likely.

Taboo word pairs are bigger/nigger, boobs/boons and bum/numb.

Interesting pairs include:

baker nacre
beadle needle
bickers knickers
boa Noah
bursary nursery
fibre finer
wobbly wanly

The mean density value is 1.7%. The list makes 186 semantic distinctions, a loading of 58%.

able anal
Annie abbey
B knee
babe bane
  babes banes
Babs banns
Babs bans
back knack
  backs knacks
backer knacker
  backers knackers
bag nag
  bagged nagged
  bagging nagging
  bags nags
bail nail
  bailed nailed
  bailing nailing
  bails nails
bairn Nairn 
baker nacre
bale nail
  baled nailed
  baling nailing
  bals nails
ban Nan
barb barn
  barbs barns
Barbara Narborough
bare ne'er
bark nark
  barked narked
  barking narking
  barks narks
barrow narrow
  barrows narrows
bash gnash
  bashes gnashes
  bashing gnashing
  bashed gnashed
bat gnat 
  bats gnats
batter natter
  battered nattered
  battering nattering
  batters natters
batty natty
bawd gnawed	  
bay nay
bay n�e	
bay neigh
  bayed neighed
  baying neighing
  bays neighs
be knee
beadle needle
  beadles needles
beady needy
bear ne'er
beard neared
beau know
  beaux knows
beau no
beck neck
  becks necks
bed Ned 
bee knee
  bees knees
beep neap
  beeps neaps
beer near
  beers nears
Beith 'neath 
bell knell
  bells knells	 
bell Nell
belle knell
  belles knells  
belle Nell  
belly Nelly 
belt knelt
Bess ness
best nest
  bested nested
  besting nesting
  bests nests
bet net
  bets nets
  betted netted
  betting netting
bevel Neville 
bey nay
bey n�e
bey neigh
  beys neighs
bib bin
  bibs bins
bib nib
  bibs nibs
bickers knickers
bier near
  biers nears
biff niff
  biffs niffs
bigger nigger
bight knight
  bights knights
bight night
  bights nights
bine nine
  bines nines
bit knit
  bits knits
bitch niche
  bitches niches
bite knight
  bites knights
  biting knighting
bite night
  bites nights  
bitter knitter
bitters knitters
blabbed bland
boa Noah 
boar gnaw
  boars gnaws
boar nor   
board gnawed   
boat note
  boated noted
  boating noting
  boats notes
bob Bonn
bob knob
  bobs knobs
bobbed bond
Bobby bonny
bode node
  bodes nodes
bodied nodded
bole knoll
  boles knolls
bone known
boo gnu
  boos gnus
boob boon
  boobs boons
book nook
  books nooks
boon noon
boost noosed
booze gnus
bore gnaw
  bores gnaws
  bored gnawed
bore nor
botch notch
  botched notched
  botches notches
  botching notching
bough now
bought naught
bout knout
  bouts knouts
bow know
  bowing knowing
  bows knows
bow no
bow now  
box knocks
boys noise
bribe brine
buckle knuckle
  buckled knuckled
  buckles knuckles
  buckling knuckling
budged nudged
  budges nudges
  budging nudging
bum numb
  bummed numbed
  bumming numbing
  bums numbs
bun none
bun nun
  buns nuns
bursary nursery
  bursaries nurseries
burst nursed
but nut	
butt nut
  butts nuts
buy nigh
buyer nigher
by nigh
bye nigh
cab can
  cabs cans
cabal canal
  cabals canals
cabby canny
cob con
  cobs cons
Corby corny
crabbed crannied
dab Dan 
daub dawn
  daubed dawned
  daubing dawning
  daubs dawns
deb den
  debs dens
Debbie Denny
dibber dinner
  dibbers dinners
dub done
dub dun
  dubbed dunned
  dubbing dunning
  dubs duns
ebb N 
  ebbs N's 
ebbed end
fab fan
Feb fen
fib Finn 
  fibs Finns
fibre finer
fobbed fond	
furbish furnish
  furbished furnished
  furbishing furnishing
glebe glean 
  glebes gleans 
gob gone
grabbed grand
grebe green
  grebes greens
herb Herne
hob Hon 
hub Hun 
  hubs Huns 
hubby honey 
  hubbies honeys 
jab Jan 
jib gin
  jibbed ginned 
  jibbing ginning 
  jibs gins
jib jinn
  jibs jinns
Job Joan 
job John 
Kobe coney
liable Lionel 
Lib Lynn
lobe loan 
  lobed loaned 
  lobes loans 
mobster monster
  mobsters monsters
nub none 
nub nun
  nubs nuns
ob on
probe prone
pub pun
  pubs puns
pubic Punic 
rebound renowned
rob Ron
robe roan 
  robes roans 
rub run
  rubbing running
  rubs runs
rubber runner
  rubbers runners
rubble runnel
rub-up run-up
sabre saner
scab scan
  scabs scans
stab Stan 
stabbed stand
stub stun
  stubbed stunned
  stubbing stunning
  stubs stuns
sub son 
  subs sons 
sub sun
  subbed sunned
  subbing sunning
  subs suns
swab swan
  swabbed swanned
  swabbing swanning
  swabs swans
tab tan
  tabs tans
Toby Tony
tub ton
  tubs tons
tub tun	   
  tubs tuns
tuba tuna
  tubas tunas
tubby tunny
tube tune
  tubes tunes
  tubing tuning
tuber tuner
  tubers tuners
vibes vines
web wen
  webs wens
web when
webbed wend
Whitby Witney
yob yon

Credit: John Higgins