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Consonants /�/ versus /j/, 5 pairs     

The /�/ sound is spelled with <th>. The /j/ sound is spelled with <y>.

This is a contrast between a dental fricative and a palatal semivowel, both voiced and fairly close together in the mouth, but the contrast does not cause problems.

The contrast only occurs initially and is very rare since only a few words, mainly function words being with /�/. The mean density value is very low at 0.1%. The list makes 5 semantic distinctions, a loading of 100%.

 	
thee ye
then yen	 
their Yare
there Yare
they yea

Credit: John Higgins