vilya (word)

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This article is about the Quenya word and the tengwa. For the Ring of Power, see Vilya.

vilya or wilya is a Quenya word meaning "air, sky".[1]

Example

Tengwa

Vilya.gif

Vilya is also the name for the twenty-fourth letter of the Tengwar alphabet.[1] It is the fourth letter of the sixth grade or Tyellë, which contains "semi-vocalic" consonants and it is the sixth letter in the fourth series of consonants.[2] In early written Quenya this letter represented W when the letter was called Wilya. Over time this letter ceased to have a clear function. However, in the Mode of Beleriand (as seen in the West-gate of Moria inscription) Vilya is used for a following W in the diphthong iw.[3] The Westron name for this letter is 'Á.[4]

Other versions of the legendarium

In earlier Qenya, the word was wilma ("inner or lower air") and comes from the root WIL.[5]

In the earlier Ambarkanta, there are different terms for the air of the atmosphere (Vista) and the sky (Ilmen).

References