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Consonants /n/ versus /ʤ/, 173 pairs     

The /n/ sound is spelled with <n>, <kn> as in knee or <gn> in gnaw. The /ʤ/ sound is spelled with <j>, <g> or <dge>.

This is a contrast between a nasal continuant and an affricate, both in the alveolar region and both voiced. In spite of the proximity it is not a problem.

The only taboo word pair is nigger/jigger.

Interesting pairs include:

Colin college
litany liturgy

The mean density value is 1.1%. The lists make 93 semantic distinctions, a loading of 54%.

any edgy
ban badge
banner badger
  banners badgers
barn barge
bun budge
bunnies budges
bunny budgie
  bunnies budgies
cabin cabbage
can cadge
  canned cadged
  canning cadging
cane cage
  caned caged
  caning caging
canna cadger
  cannas cadgers
Cannes cadge
Colin college
don dodge
  dodging donning
  donned dodged
earn urge
  earned urged
  earning urging
  earnings urgings
end edged
faun forge
fawn forge
  fawned forged
  fawning forging
fun fudge
gain gage
  gained gaged
  gaining gaging
gannet gadget
  gannets gadgets
gnaw jaw
  gnawed jawed
  gnawing jawing
  gnaws jaws
gnu Jew
  gnus Jews
gown gouge
  gowned gouged
  gowning gouging
hen hedge
hewn huge
knack jack
  knacks jacks
knee G
  knees G's
knitters jitters
knives jives
knob job
  knobs jobs
knot jot
  knots jots
  knotted jotted
  knotting jotting
know Jo
known Joan
Larne large
lean liege
Len ledge
litany liturgy
  litanies liturgies
man Madge
minute midget
  minutes midgets
N edge
nab jab
  nabbed jabbed
  nabbing jabbing
  nabs jabs
nag jag
  nagged jagged
  nagging jagging
  nags jags
nail gaol
  nailed gaoled
  nailing gaoling
  nails gaols
names James
nape jape
  napes japes
narrow Jarrow
nay J
nay jay
neap jeep
  neaps jeeps
near jeer
  neared jeered
  nearing jeering
  nears jeers
n�e J 
n�e jay
neigh J
  neighs J's
neigh jay
  neighs jays
neighed jade
Nell gel
Nelly jelly
ness Jess
nest jest
  nests jests
  nested jested
  nesting jesting
Nestor jester
net jet
  nets jets
  netted jetted
  netting jetting
Neuss Joyce
nib jib
  nibs jibs
niffy jiffy
niggard jiggered
nigger jigger
  niggers jiggers
niggle jiggle
  niggled jiggled
  niggles jiggles
  niggling jiggling
nip gyp
  nipped gypped
  nipping gypping
  nips gyps
noise joys
none nudge
noon June
noose juice
  nooses juices
nor jaw
not jot
nudge judge
  nudged judged
  nudges judges
  nudging judging
nun nudge
nut jut
  nuts juts
  nutted jutted
pain page
  pained paged
  paining paging
rain rage
  rained raged
  raining raging
rein rage
  reined raged
  reining raging
reign rage
  reigned raged
  reigning raging
Rennes Reg
sane sage
  sanely sagely
stain stage
  stained staged
  staining staging
urn urge
wain wage
wane wage
  waned waged
  waning waging
Wayne wage
wen wedge
wend wedged
wren Reg

Credit: John Higgins