The best known Quenya greeting, appearing in the phrase aiya Eärendil elenion ancalima “hail Eärendil, brightest of stars” from The Lord of the Rings (LotR/720, 915).

Conceptual Development: The earliest appearance of this interjection is ᴱQ. áye “hail!, o!” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where it was derived from the early root ᴱ√AYA “honour, revere” (QL/34). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, Tolkien derived its later form aiya “hail” from √AYA “blessed” or “revere” (PE17/146, 149). In these same notes, Tolkien said it was “only addressed to great or holy persons as the Valar, or to Earendil” (PE17/149).

At times, however, Tolkien used aiya as a more general interjection. In Words, Phrases and Passages in the Lord of the Rings from the later 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien said it was “a cry, to call for help or attention” (PE17/89). It was used as a call for attention “behold!, lo!” in The Silmarillion and its drafts in the phrase aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie’n aurë “Behold [or Lo!], people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!” (S/190; WJ/166).

At times Tolkien gave this interjection in a reduced form aia, most notably in the phrase Aia María quanta Eruanno “Hail Mary, full of grace” from Quenya prayers from the 1950s (VT43/27-28). This variant is comparable to the Maiya vs. Maia variation in spelling for the servants of the Valar, with māja becoming maija, sometimes spelled maia (PE19/62). The interjection aiya is more common in Tolkien’s writings, however.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I treat aiya as a more formal greeting, in keeping with the notion that it was “only addressed to great or holy persons” (PE17/149). For a more casual greeting, see alla “hail, welcome”.