The list below shows some minimal or near minimal pairs.
Minimal Pairs
Consonant and vowel minimal pairs are given here to justify contrasts that one might find worthy of scrutiny.
| Contrast |
Item 1 |
Gloss |
Item 2 |
Gloss
|
| i : ii |
liƥ |
fish |
liiƥ |
to measure
|
| e : ee |
ref |
to be |
reef |
to follow
|
| o : oo |
dor |
to fold |
door |
to start
|
| u : uu |
xuf |
to startle |
xuuf |
to cut short
|
| a : aa |
kaf |
joke |
kaaf |
millet plants
|
| i : e |
wil |
hair |
wel |
to be sharp
|
| ii : ee |
xiiñ |
to squint |
xeeñ |
heart, lung
|
| e : a |
sex |
to carve off |
sax |
insult
|
| ee : aa |
|
|
|
|
| a : o |
|
|
|
|
| aa : oo |
aqaal |
boat sp. |
aqool |
standing dead tree trunk
|
| o : u |
sox |
to dehusk millet |
sux |
to plug a hole
|
| oo : uu |
|
|
|
|
| c : ƈ |
oxiic |
jujube |
oxiiƈ |
bone
|
Consonants
| word |
|
gloss
|
| tadik |
- |
three
|
| ndiit |
- |
bird
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| ngol |
- |
finger
|
| onqool |
- |
moon
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| ƥaak |
- |
baobab tree
|
| ɓaak |
- |
baobab fruit
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| jimb |
- |
to transplant
|
| cimb |
- |
seedlings
|
| akim |
- |
song
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| oqol |
- |
field
|
| okol |
- |
glue (Fr.)
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| mbind |
- |
house (sg)
|
| pind |
- |
house (pl)
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| suk |
- |
boat
|
| sug |
- |
pound millet
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| fiɗel |
- |
fire (sg)
|
| piɗel |
- |
fire (pl)
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| gin |
- |
egg
|
| giñ |
- |
(be) full
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| ateƥ |
- |
rain
|
| ateɓ |
- |
small
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| ɗat |
- |
pick fruit
|
| aƭat |
- |
road
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| tok |
- |
on, on top of
|
| ɓok |
- |
(be) pigeon-toed
|
Vowels
| word |
|
gloss
|
| daɓ |
- |
belly button
|
| deɓ |
- |
rain
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| faɗ |
- |
to slap
|
| fiɓ |
- |
to sift
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| naf |
- |
to hit
|
| nof |
- |
ear
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| sak |
- |
to hold something
|
| suk |
- |
boat
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| gen |
- |
to live
|
| gin |
- |
egg
|
| gon |
- |
name
|
| gum |
- |
to have a mouth full of water
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| liƥ |
- |
fish
|
| luƥ |
- |
a borrowing
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| log |
- |
to have a mouth full of food
|
| lug |
- |
abscess
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| xas |
- |
to scold
|
| xaas |
- |
to fart
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| ten |
- |
he/she/it
|
| teen |
- |
breast
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| gin |
- |
egg
|
| giiñ |
- |
to swear an oath
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| liƥ |
- |
fish
|
| liiɓ |
- |
to measure
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| χooχ |
- |
to cultivate
|
| χoχ |
- |
head
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| luƥ |
- |
a borrowing
|
| aluuƥ |
- |
a flute
|
| word |
|
gloss
|
| poj |
- |
tomb
|
| paj |
- |
sarong
|
