[General] How do you pronounce "Noel"?

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EngFan

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Hi All,

I always hear people say Noel as Nowel with "w" sound, why?

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5jj

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A slight /w/ comes in the glide from the /əʊ/ to the /e/ or /ə/ for some speakers. This /w/ is far more common and more pronounced in the word meaning 'Christmas'.
 

EngFan

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Thank you for your answer. If don't speak the "w" sound for Noel, is it still natural and correct?
By the way, I also hear people/talking dictionaries say "koala" as "kowala" with "w" sound, I am very confused with this "w" as I can't see this sound in the phonetic symbol, pls advise!
 

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When a syllable ends in /i:/ or /ɪ/ and is followed by by a vowel, most speakers introduce a linking /j/. When a syllable ends in /u:/ or /ʊ/ followed by a vowel, most speakers introduce a linking /w/. These linking sounds are not obligatory (indeed, most speakers are not aware that they use them), and are not normally noted in phonemic transcriptions. They are noted in phonetic transcription.
 

Tdol

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For Christmas, it's often written Noël, the dots above the letter e marking that we pronounce the vowels separately.
 
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