At times, minimal pairs are
are pronounced the same on purpose. One way that English-speakers play with language is to say the minimum pair of a vulgar word. For example: sheet/ shit and beach/bitch. There was once a very successful advertising campaign which started and ended with the expression, Life is a beach. The expression, Life is a beach, means nothing; however, most English-speakers knew that what was actually being said was the very common, and vulgar, expression, Life is a bitch. English-speakers are quite use to using minimal pairs to avoid cursing. It is not unusual to hear someone say shoot instead of shit or witch instead of bitch. The very popular and funny 2004 movie with Ben Stiller had the title which most people, especially in the mass media, PURPOSELY mispronounced, Meet the Fockers. In 2011, Stiller has another movie coming out which most people will again PURPOSELY mispronounce, The Little Fockers.
Some letters are minimal pairs, i.e. b vs. p, because they are pronounced in the same area of the mouth. Especially when referring to consonants, the difference is whether the letter is voiced (aspirated) or voiceless (not aspirated). The following is a list of minimum pairs which are consonants:
A. Consonants
1) v vs. b (for example vowel/ bowel)*
2) b vs. p (for example: pit/ bit)
3) l vs. r (for example: lip/ rip)
4) t vs. d (for example: ten/ den)
5) t vs. ch (for example: art/ arch)
6) g vs. k (for example: angle/ ankle)
7) d vs. h (for example: bird/ birth)
8) d vs. ch (for example: bend/ bench)
9) sh vs. ch (for example: wash/ watch)
10) s vs. sh (for example: Paris/ parish)
11) s vs. z (for example: fussy/ fuzzy)
12) s vs. ch (for example: mass/ match)
13) d vs. th (for example: bird/ birth)
14) f vs. v (for example: first/ versed)
15) j vs. y (for example: jail/ Yale)
16) j vs.. ch (for example: jeer/ cheer)
17) j vs.. sh (for example: Jerry/sherry)
*Spanish speakers
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