vilya

noun. (lower) air

vilna

place name. (lower) air

Innermost layer of air in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/65), given as a derivative of the root ᴱ√VILI in the Qenya Lexicon, along with a variant form Vilya (QL/101). This second form reappeared decades later in The Lord of the Rings as Q. vilya “air, sky” (LotR/1123).

Changes

• Vilna → Vilya ✧ LT1A/Vilna
• Vilna → Vilya ✧ QL/101

Cognates

• G. Gwilfa “lowest air” ✧ LT1A/Vilna

Derivations

• ᴱ√VILI “*air” ✧ LT1A/Vilna; QL/101

Element in

• Eq. Favilna “lowest air” ✧ LT1A/Vilna; QL/037
• Eq. vílyava “airy” ✧ PE15/68 (vílyava)
• Eq. yar i vilya anta miqilis “to whom the air gives kisses” ✧ MC/215; PE16/090; PE16/092

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴱ√VILI > Vilya	[βilnā] > [βilna] > [vilna]	✧ QL/101

Variations

• Vilya ✧ LT1A/Vilna; QL/101
• vilya ✧ MC/215; PE15/68 (vilya)
• vilna ✧ QL/037

ilma

noun. air

A word for “air” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142), probably based on the early root ᴱ√ILU “ether”. Later ᴹQ. Ilma was used for “Starlight” (Ety/GIL; LR/205).

Elements

Word	Gloss
ILU	“ether, the slender airs among the stars”