Consonants /m/ versus /ʤ/, 192 pairs     [mobjob.html]

The /m/ sound is spelled with <m>, <mm> or <mb> in numb. The /ʤ/ sound is spelled with <j>, <ge>, <dge> or exceptionally with <g> in gaol.

This is a contrast between a bilabial nasal continuant and an alveolar affricate, both voiced. It is not a problem.

Interesting pairs include:

enemy energy
mollification jollification
moonier junior
sermon surgeon

The mean density value is 2.2%. The lists make 113 semantic distinctions, a loading of 59%.

aim age 
  aimed aged 
  aiming ageing 
aimless ageless 
amour adjure 
  amours adjures 
balm barge
beseem besiege
  beseemed besieged
  beseeming besieging
brim bridge 
  brimmed bridged 
  brimming bridging 
bum budge 
  bummed budged 
  bumming budging 
cam cadge 
came cage 
charm charge 
  charmed charged 
  charming charging 
charmer charger 
  charmers chargers 
comma codger
  commas codgers 
dome doge 
drum drudge 
  drummed drudged 
  drumming drudging 
enemy energy
  enemies energies 
form forge 
  formed forged 
  forming forging 
former forger 
game gage 
  gamed gaged 
  gaming gaging 
hem hedge 
  hemmed hedged 
  hemming hedging 
M edge 
ma jar
ma'am jam 
mac jack 
  macs jacks
made jade 
mag jag 
  mags jags 
Maggie jaggy
maid jade
  maids jades 
mail gaol 
  mailed gaoled 
  mailing gaoling 
  mails gaols 
maims James 
Maine Jane 
main Jane
make jake 
  makes jakes 
male gaol
  males gaols
man Jan 
mane Jane
mangle jangle 
  mangled jangled 
  mangles jangles 
  mangling jangling 
many Jenny 
mar jar 
  marred jarred 
  marring jarring 
  mars jars
marrow Jarrow 
Maud jawed
mauve Jove 
maw jaw 
  maws jaws 
Max jacks
May J 
  Mays J's 
me G 
meanie genie
  meanies genies 
meanie Jeanie 
meant gent 
men gen 
mend genned 
mender gender 
  menders genders 
menial genial 
  menially genially 
mental gentle 
  mentally gently
mention gentian 
  mentions gentians 
mere jeer 
  meres jeers 
merman German 
merry Gerry 
messy Jessie 
met jet
Metz jets
midge Jim 
midges jimmies 
miles Giles 
million Gillian 
milt jilt 
mingle jingle 
  mingled jingled 
  mingles jingles 
  mingling jingling 
minks jinks 
minks jinx
minx jinks
minx jinx
  minxes jinxes 
missed gist 
mist gist
  mists gists 
Mo Joe
moan Joan 
mob job 
  mobbed jobbed 
  mobbing jobbing 
  mobs jobs 
moist joist 
moke joke 
  mokes jokes 
mollification jollification 
Molly jolly
monk junk 
  monks junks 
monkey junkie 
  monkeys junkies 
moo Jew 
  moos Jews 
moody Judy 
moon June 
  moons Junes 
moonier junior
moose juice 
  mooses juices 
moot jute 
more jaw
moss joss 
  mosses josses 
moult jolt 
  moulted jolted 
  moulting jolting 
  moults jolts 
moused joust 
mug jug 
  mugged jugged 
  mugging jugging 
  mugs jugs 
mum judge 
mumble jumble 
  mumbled jumbled 
  mumbles jumbles 
  mumbling jumbling 
mumps jumps 
murk jerk 
murky jerky 
  murkier jerkier 
  murkiest jerkiest 
  murkily jerkily 
murmur merger 
  murmurs mergers 
mussed just 
must just
mutt jut 
numb nudge 
  numbed nudged 
  numbing nudging 
passim passage 
perm purge
  permed purged
  perming purging
pommy podgy 
rim ridge 
  rimmed ridged 
  rimming ridging 
same sage 
seam siege 
seem siege
sermon surgeon
  sermons surgeons
slum sludge 
vermin virgin

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2010.