Consonants /ð/ versus /ʧ/, 22 pairs     [thatchat.html]

The /ð/ sound is spelled with <th>. The /ʧ/ sound is spelled with <ch> or <tch>.

This is a contrast between a voiced dental fricative and a voiceless affricate, close together in the mouth. The contrast does not cause problems.

The mean density value is 1.4%. The list makes 15 semantic distinctions, a loading of 68%.

 	
bother botcher 
  bothers botchers 
breathe breach 
  breathing breaching 
leather lecher
  leathers lechers
  leathery lechery
teethe teach 
  teething teaching 
that chat 
their chair 
  theirs chairs 
there chair
these cheese 
thine chine 
those chose 
thou chow 
with which 
with witch
withies witches 
wreathe reach
  wreathing reaching 

John Higgins, Shaftesbury, November 2010.