OS. [w] vanished before [u]; [{uw|wu}] > [u]
Based on a few examples, it seems [w] vanishes before [u] in Old Noldorin, in the same way as that [j] vanished before [i]. Since the combination [wu] did not normally occur in Primitive Elvish, this phonetic development only applied to cases where the [u] arose later, such as when [oi], [ǭi] became [ui] in Noldorin:
Based on the examples above, this sound change occurred at the Old Noldorin stage, and before initial [w] became [gw]. There seems to be one other peculiar example of [w] assimilating to a preceding [u] in Old Noldorin:
The Quenya form was also ᴹQ. kukua, so the assimilation here might have been in Primitive Elvish, from *kukū + suffixal -wā. But more likely it was a parallel sound change: see the entry on how [j], [w] often reduced between vowels in Ancient Quenya.
Conceptual Development: There is no clear evidence of this sound change in either Sindarin or early versions of the language, but since [j] vanished before [i], it seems reasonable to assume something similar would happen to [w] before [u].
Order (03500)
After | 02600 | [ā], [au] became [ǭ] | ᴹ✶wāyā > wōia > ON. uia | Ety/WAY |
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ON. [w] vanished before [u]; [{uw|wu}] > [u]
Order (04600)
After | 02800 | [ā], [au] became [ǭ] | ᴹ✶wāyā > wōia > ON. uia | Ety/WAY |
After | 03200 | [j] became [i] after vowels | ᴹ✶wāyā > wōia > ON. uia | Ety/WAY |
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Phonetic Rule Elements
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Phonetic Rule Examples
kukūwa > kukua | uw > u | ᴹ✶kukūwā > ON. kukua | ✧ Ety/KŪ |
gwuin > guin | wu > u | ᴹ✶WĀ-N > N. guin | ✧ Ety/WA-N |
wuia > uia | wu > u | ᴹ✶wāyā > wōia > ON. uia | ✧ Ety/WAY |
wuiar > uiar | wu > u | ᴹ✶wā́yārō̆/Vā́yārō̆ > N. Uiar | ✧ Ety/WAY |