The /w/ sound is spelled with <w> or <wh>. The /ʧ/ sound is spelled with <ch>. Notice how the partial homograph Wear/wear makes pairs with cheer and chair.
This is a contrast between a voiced bilabial semivowel and a voiceless alveolar affricate. It only ocurs initially.
The mean density value is 2.5%. The lists make 49 semantic distinctions, a loading of 54%.
wafer chafer wafers chafers waif chafe waifs chafes wain chain wains chains waist chased waist chaste walk chalk walked chalked walking chalking walks chalks wane chain waned chained waning chaining wanes chains war chaw wars chaws war chore wars chores ward chawed ware chair wared chaired wares chairs waring chairing Warley Chorley wary chary warily charily waste chaste waste chased Wayne chain wear chair wears chairs wearing chairing Wear cheer weary cheery wees cheese weird cheered weir cheer weirs cheers west chest wheedle Cheadle wheeze cheese wheezes cheeses wherry cherry wherries cherries whiled child whine chine whines chines whip chip whips chips whipped chipped whipping chipping whippings chippings whirl churl whirls churls whop chop whopped chopped whopping chopping whops chops whopper chopper whoppers choppers wide chide wild child will chill wills chills willing chilling willed chilled Willie Chile Willie chilli willies chillies Willie chilly wine chine wines chines wink chink winked chinked winking chinking winks chinks wive chive wives chives woes chose woke choke woo chew wooing chewing woos chews wooed chewed woos choose wore chaw wore chore wow chow wows chows
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2010.