Consonants /ʃ/ versus /ʒ/, 10 pairs     [confucia.html]

The /ʃ/ sound is spelled with <sh>, <ti>, <ci> or <che>. The /ʒ/ sound is spelled with <si>, <su>, <zu> or <ge>.

This is a contrast between two alveolar fricatives, distinguished only by voicing. Even native speakers may have a problem, but the contrast is so rare that it hardly matters.

The mean density value is very low at 0.2%. The list makes 6 semantic distinctions, a loading of 60%.

Aleutian allusion	
  Aleutians allusions
Asher azure
Confucian confusion	 
  Confucians confusions
dilution delusion	  
  dilutions delusions	
mesher measure	
  meshers measures
ruche rouge  

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, January 2018.
(With thanks to Petr Rösel of Mainz.)