minimal pair

Definition:
(1) Two words that differ by just one sound.
(2) "Pairs of words or phrases in a particular language, which differ in only one phonological element, such as a phone, phoneme, toneme or chroneme and have a distinct meaning. They are used to demonstrate that two phones constitute two separate phonemes in the language."
(Source: Wikipedia s.v. minimal pair)
Example:
(1) lap and lab
(2) ship and sheep



Please comment

E-Mail: