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Consonants /k/ versus /j/, 67 pairs     

The spelling of /k/ is <c> or <k>. The /j/ sound is spelled <y>, and it also occurs in the letter name U. The contrast can only occur initially.

This is a contrast between a voiceless stop and a voiced semivowel. It causes no problems.

Interesting pairs include:

coax yokes
curling yearling

The figure for the mean density is 0.6%. The set makes 36 semantic contrasts, a loading of 54%.

    
call yawl
  calls yawls
Calne yarn
cam yam
  cams yams
cap yap
  capped yapped
  capping yapping
  caps yaps
card yard
  cards yards
cause yaws
caw yaw
  cawed yawed
  cawing yawing
  caws yaws
caw your
  caws yours
chord yawed
coax yokes
cob yob
  cobs yobs
coke yoke
  coked yoked
  coking yoking
  cokes yokes
con yon
coo ewe
  coos ewes
coo U 
  coos U's 
coo you  
cool you'll
cool Yule
cord yawed
core yaw
  cored yawed
  cores yaws
core yore
core your
  cores yours
Cork York
corn yawn
  corned yawned
  corning yawning
  corns yawns
cot yacht
  cots yachts
cowl yowl
  cowling yowling
  cowls yowls
cur year
  curs years
curling yearling
curly yearly
K yea
  K's yeas
Kate Yate
kelp yelp
ken yen
  kenned yenned
  kenning yenning
  kens yens
key ye 
khan yarn
  khans yarns
quay ye

Credit: John Higgins