A contrast between a vowel and a consonant normally has a different status from that between vowel and vowel or consonant and consonant, since the syllable structure and stress pattern are bound to be upset. This may not be so in the case of consonants which can be syllable nuclei (namely /l/, /r/ and the nasals).
12 of the 24 consonants displayed minimal pairs with /i/. If no contrast is reported below, then no minimal pairs showed up in this dictionary. As one might expect, the only longer groups are those consonants which cluster readily, namely /s/ and /t/, and those which can be syllabic, namely /n/ and /l/.
/i/ versus /t/cm stem debauchee debauched divorcee divorced foresee forced lessee lest marquee marked Parsee passed Parsee past pelisse pelts seeing sting/i/ versus /d/
bargee barged internee interned mortgagee mortgaged/i/ versus /k/
decease discs Ealing cling RC ask receipt risked/i/ versus /tS/
ranee ranch/i/ versus /f/
Ealing fling/i/ versus /s/
bootee boots draftee drafts draftee draughts Ealing sling eating sting maquis macs maquis max marquee marks marquee marques tempi temps warrantee warrants/i/ versus /z/
internee internes internee interns vendee vends/i/ versus /l/
axes axles bawbee bauble bawbees baubles bootee Bootle feeing fling internee internal keying cling Kiev clef nominee nominal Parsee parcel Parsees parcels pupae pupil seeing sling settee settle settees settles suttee subtle tempi temple/i/ versus /m/
Louise looms/i/ versus /n/
lessee lessen lessees lessens lessee lesson lessees lessons Louise loons Parsee parson Parsees parsons RC arson suttee Sutton/i/ versus /r/
being bring beings brings teeing Tring/i/ versus /w/
seeing swing
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, January 2011.