arya

1 adj. “excelling”, used as the comparative form of mára “good”, hence *“better” PE17:57. The superlative *“best” is i arya with the article, with genitive to express *“the best of…” Cf. mára. 3 noun "twelve hours, day" ARsup1/sup; compare aurë. In deleted notes this word was also used as an adjective: "of the day, light" VT45:6. Still according to VT45:6, arya is also the name of Tengwa \#26 in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, but Tolkien would later call \#26 arda instead indeed arya was changed from arda in the source; Tolkien would later change his mind back again. The abandoned name arya suggests that the letter was to have the value ry rather than rd as in the classical system outlined in LotR Appendix E. – Since the word for “day” daylight period is given as aurë in later sources, and arya is assigned other meanings in late material see \#1, 2 above, the conceptual validity of arya “day” is questionable.%