If we say that the difference between vowels and consonants is a difference in the way
that they are produced, there will inevitably be some cases of uncertainty or disagreement;
this is a problem that cannot be avoided. It is possible to establish two distinct groups of
sounds (vowels and consonants) in another way. Consider English words beginning with
the sound h; what sounds can come next after this h? We find that most of the sounds
we normally think of as vowels can follow (e.g. ein the word ‘hen’), but practically none
of the sounds we class as consonants, with the possible exception of jin a word such as
‘huge’ hjud. Now think of English words beginning with the two sounds bi; we find
many cases where a consonant can follow (e.g. din the word ‘bid’, or lin the word ‘bill’),