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Consonants /l/ versus /j/, 92 pairs     

The /l/ sound is spelled with <l>. The /j/ sound is spelled with <y> or initial <u>.

This is a contrast between an alveolar lateral continuant and a palatal semivowel, both voiced and only occurring in initial position or in intial clusters. It is not a problem.

The mean density value is 0.6%. The lists make 56 semantic distinctions, a loading of 61%.

clew Q 
  clews Q's 
clew queue
  clewed queued
  clewing queueing
  clews queues  
clue Q 
  clues Q's 
clue queue
  clued queued
  cluing queueing
  clues queues  
flew few 
floozies fuses
flue few
flues fuse
flume fume
  flumes fumes
la yah
lack yak
  lacks yaks
lam yam
  lams yams
lamb yam
  lambs yams
lank Yank 
lanky Yankee 
lap yap
  lapped yapped
  lapping yapping
  laps yaps
lard yard
Larne yarn
larn yarn
  larned yarned
  larning yarning
  larns yarns
late Yate 
lately Yateley 
laud yawed
law yaw
  laws yaws
law yore
law your
lawn yawn
  lawns yawns
lay yea
  lays yeas
learn yearn
  learned yearned
  learning yearning
  learns yearns
leer year
lea ye
lee ye
Leigh ye
lemon Yemen 
Len yen
lend yenned
lens yens
less yes
let yet
lieu U 
lob yob
  lobs yobs
local yokel
  locals yokels
loo U
  loos U's 
loose use
  loosed used
  looses uses
lor yore
lor your
lord yawed
lore yaw
lore yore
lore your
lose use
  losing using
  loses uses
loser user
  losers users
lot yacht
  lots yachts
lung young
slew sue
  slewing suing
  slews sues
  slewed sued
slewed pseud 
unloosed unused

Credit: John Higgins