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 |
meeɓ |
to pick up |
maaɓ |
to lie on
|
| a : o |
sax |
insult |
sox |
to hull millet by pounding
|
| aa : oo |
aqaal |
boat sp. |
aqool |
standing dead tree trunk
|
| o : u |
sox |
to dehusk millet |
sux |
to plug a hole
|
| oo : uu |
ɓooɓ |
family name |
ɓuuɓ |
to be cold
|
| Contrast |
Item 1 |
Gloss |
Item 2 |
Gloss
|
| p : b |
pac |
to remove foreskin |
bac |
to winnow
|
| t : d |
taxan |
to cause for someone |
daxan |
to search for firewood
|
| c : j |
cimb |
seedling |
jimb |
to transplant seedlings
|
| k : g |
suk |
boat |
sug |
to pound millet
|
| b : mb |
bind |
to write |
mbind |
house
|
| d : nd |
roxod |
to take off of head |
roxond |
to put on head
|
| j : nj |
|
|
|
|
| g : ng |
ɗag |
to hang |
ɗang |
to be stuck (in a tree)
|
| p : ƥ |
pog |
trap |
ƥog |
pl. to bathe
|
| t : ƭ |
teen |
stoves |
ƭeen |
breasts
|
| c : ƈ |
oxiic |
jujube |
oxiiƈ |
bone
|
| b : ɓ |
|
|
|
|
| d : ɗ |
dox |
to be first |
ɗox |
to burn (intr.)
|
| j : ʄ |
|
|
|
|
| ƥ : ɓ |
ƥaak |
baobab tree |
ɓaak |
baobab fruit
|
| ƭ : ɗ |
ƭaaf |
daaf tree |
ɗaaf |
daaf
|
| ƈ : ʄ |
|
|
|
|
| t : c |
|
|
|
|
| c : k |
|
|
|
|
| k : q |
|
|
|
|
| k : ' |
ojok |
neck |
ojo' |
testicle
|
| q : ' |
yoq |
to be left over |
yo' |
to move
|
| d : j |
deg |
to cut |
jeg |
to have
|
| j : g |
|
|
|
|
| nd : nj |
|
|
|
|
| nj : ng |
|
|
|
|
| ng : nq |
ngas |
pl. to dig |
nqas |
pl. to berate
|
| ɗ : ʄ |
|
|
|
|
| ƭ : ƈ |
|
|
|
|
| Contrast |
Item 1 |
Gloss |
Item 2 |
Gloss
|
| m : mb |
kam |
to be crooked |
kamb |
pits, holes
|
| n : nd |
|
|
|
|
| ñ : nj |
|
|
|
|
| ŋ : ng |
ŋas |
to play |
ngas |
pl. to dig
|
| ñ : ŋ |
|
|
|
|
| n : ñ |
riin |
front |
|
|
| ñ : ŋ |
ñaay |
to be spicy |
ŋaay |
to climb, mount
|
| Contrast |
Item 1 |
Gloss |
Item 2 |
Gloss
|
| l : r |
|
|
|
|
| w : b |
|
|
|
|
| l : n |
|
|
|
|
| l : nd |
|
|
|
|
| y : j |
|
|
|
|
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
|
