Quenya is the constructed language most associated with the High Elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Tolkien based aspects of Quenya’s sound and structure especially on Finnish, while also developing it within his own Elvish language history.
In Tolkien’s mythology, Quenya was associated with the Elves of Valinor and remained a prestigious, literary, or ceremonial language in later ages. It is sometimes described as the language of the High Elves, though Tolkien’s linguistic history is complex and Quenya’s use changes across different periods and communities.
Quenya is distinct from Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin was widely spoken by many Elves in Middle-earth during the Third Age, while Quenya often had a more formal or historical role. Tolkien created vocabulary, grammar, sound patterns, and historical relationships for both languages rather than merely inventing lists of names.
The name of the language is sometimes written “Quenya” and is related within Tolkien’s fictional linguistic history to the idea of speech or language.