/dʒ/ vs /j/: jet vs yet
The hard affricate /dʒ/ and the soft glide /j/ separate jet/yet, juice/use and jam/yam. Spanish speakers in particular tend to harden every y into a j.
- Lower impact
- 6 pairs
- Three voices
1 / 10
Which word do you hear?
See the difference
/j/ is a frictionless glide from the 'ee' position; /dʒ/ starts with a firm tongue contact. If your tongue touches the roof of your mouth on 'yes', it will come out as 'jess'.
dʒ
as in jet
- Lips
- Pushed forward, rounded
- Tongue
- Front of the tongue just behind the ridge
- Voice
- On: feel your throat buzz
- Air
- Stopped, then released slowly with friction
j
as in yet
- Lips
- Relaxed
- Tongue
- Middle of the tongue up to the hard palate
- Voice
- On: feel your throat buzz
- Air
- Flows freely through the mouth
All 6 pairs
In a sentence
Hardest for speakers of
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Swedish
Questions
What is the difference between jet and yet?
jet /dʒet/ uses the /dʒ/ sound while yet /jet/ uses /j/. /j/ is a frictionless glide from the 'ee' position; /dʒ/ starts with a firm tongue contact. If your tongue touches the roof of your mouth on 'yes', it will come out as 'jess'.
Which learners find the /dʒ/ vs /j/ contrast hardest?
It is most challenging for Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish speakers, whose first languages don't separate these two sounds.