The /n/ sound is spelled with <n>, <kn> as in knee or <gn> in gnaw. The /ʧ/ sound is spelled with <ch> or <tch>.
This is a contrast between a voiced alveolar nasal continuant and a voiceless alveolar affricate. It is not a problem. The cluster /ʧt/ only seems to occur in past tense forms, so many of the pairs contrast an uninflected verb with a past tense verb, as in hint/hitched or want/watched.
Interesting pairs include:
forenoon fortune
sooner suture
The mean density value is 1.2%. The lists make 113 semantic distinctions, a loading of 62%.
aren't arched ban batch bean beach beaned beached bean beech been beach been beech bent benched Bern birch bin bitch binning bitching Bonn botch Bourne bortsch burn birch burning birching burnt birched can catch canning catching canna catcher cannas catchers canny catchy cannier catchier canniest catchiest churn church cone coach coning coaching coneys coaches count couched crown crouch crowning crouching din ditch dinning ditching dint ditched done Dutch dun Dutch e'en each fen fetch forenoon fortune forenoons fortunes gnat chat gnats chats gnaw chaw gnawed chawed gnawing chawing gnaws chaws gnaw chore gnaws chores gnu chew gnus chews hint hitched honeys hutches Hun hutch in itch inn itch inning itching Ken ketch kin kitsch knap chap knapped chapped knapping chapping knaps chaps knees cheese knit chit knits chits knives chives knock chock knocked chocked knocking chocking knocks chocks knows chose knuckle chuckle knuckled chuckled knuckles chuckles knuckling chuckling Larne larch lean leach leaning leaching lean leech learn lurch learning lurching learnt lurched learner lurcher learners lurchers man match manning matching moon mooch mooning mooching N etch nap chap napped chapped napping chapping naps chaps Nat chat natter chatter nattered chattered nattering chattering natters chatters natty chatty nattier chattier nattiest chattiest nattily chattily near cheer neared cheered nearing cheering nears cheers neck Czech necks Czechs neck check necked checked necking checking necks checks neck cheque necks cheques needle Cheadle ne'er chair ness chess nest chest nests chests nesting chesting Nestor Chester Neuss choice nickel chicle nick chick nicks chicks nil chill nine chine nines chines ninnies niches nip chip nipped chipped nipping chipping nips chips nor chaw nor chore nose chose now chow numb chum numbed chummed numbing chumming numbs chums pan patch panning patching pannier patchier pant patched pawn porch pin pitch pinning pitching pinnies pitches pone poach ponies poaches preen preach preening preaching ran ratch Rennes retch Rennes wretch rent retched roan roach scone scotch scorn scorch scorning scorching screen screech screening screeching son such sooner suture stint stitched sun such ton touch torn torch tun touch tunnies touches tunny touchy twin twitch twinning twitching wan watch wanner watcher want watched whin which whinnies witches win which win witch winning witching wren retch wren wretch
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2010.