Rabulias
the Incomparably Shrewd and Clever
Thanks for this, but I disagree with your example. I can tell a difference in pronunciation and mouth position saying "goo-ee" versus "goo-we". Using the W sound my lips constrict, even if briefly.Now make that same long O sound and hold it a few seconds before saying the word we. Your lips barely restrict before moving apart.
Say goo followed by we without a pause so it’s goo-we.
English has words that could be spelled with a w but aren’t like gooey. Just as easily could be goowe. Same sounds. Everything after the initial g is a vowel, including the W.
Edited to add: Also, my point was it was very rare in the English language for the letter W in a word's spelling to function as a vowel, not that other letters could combine to elicit a W sound.
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