Return of the minimal pairs

[Douglas G. Wilson]

Just a footnote, not intended to invalidate the point about initial /D/.

Are there "non-grammatical" English words beginning with /D/?

I will take as a working definition of "English word": "any word which
appears in a conventional English-language dictionary, excluding proper
names". I also exclude pronunciations which are designated as foreign, if
an alternative "English" pronunciation is given.

I find two:

"dhal" /Dal/ (an Arabic letter);

"duinhewassel" /DIn at was@l/ (a Scots designation of minor nobility, variant
of "duniewassal").

Marginal examples, true ... slightly better perhaps than the imaginary
river dhelta.

Probably there are a few more?

-- Doug Wilson