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Consonants /Ɵ/ versus /j/, 12 pairs     

The /Ɵ/ sound is spelled with <th>. The /j/ sound is spelled with <y>.

This is a contrast between a voiceless dental and alveolar fricative and a voiced palatal semivowel, fairly close together in the mouth. It is not a problem.

Since the /Ɵ/ sound is of low frequency overall, the mean density value is low at 0.5%. The list makes 4 semantic distinctions, a loading of 33%.

 	
thank yank 
  thanked yanked
  thanking yanking
  thanks yanks 
thaw yaw
  thawed yawed
  thawing yawing
  thaws yaws	 
thaw your
  thaws yours  
thorn yawn
  thorns yawns

Credit: John Higgins