What is the name of J.R.R. Tolkien’s invented high-elven language?

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J.R.R. Tolkien’s invented high-elven language is called Quenya.

Quenya is one of the major languages Tolkien created for the Elves of Middle-earth. Its name is often translated in connection with speech or language, and within Tolkien’s linguistic history it developed from the language of the Eldar who reached Aman.

Tolkien based aspects of Quenya’s sound and structure on languages he admired, especially Finnish, while also connecting it to his broader family of invented Elvish languages. It appears in names, poems, songs, and ceremonial phrases throughout his writings.

A frequent mix-up is Sindarin, which is another major Elvish language and was more widely spoken in parts of Middle-earth during the events of The Lord of the Rings. Quenya is often associated with lore, tradition, and the High Elves rather than ordinary everyday conversation in the Third Age.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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