Quenya is the Elvish language created by J.R.R. Tolkien whose name is associated with “speech” or “language.”
Tolkien developed Quenya as part of his extensive invented linguistic system for Middle-earth. It was inspired especially by Finnish, along with influences from Latin and Greek. In Tolkien’s fictional history, Quenya was associated with the High Elves and was an ancient, formal language rather than the everyday speech of all Elves.
Sindarin is the main alternative that causes confusion. Tolkien also created Sindarin, but it developed as a different Elvish language and became more widely used in much of Middle-earth during the later historical periods. Quenya appears in names, poems, songs, and ceremonial speech throughout Tolkien’s legendarium.
Tolkien’s languages were not decorative word lists. He studied historical linguistics and constructed grammar, vocabulary, sound changes, and relationships between languages, making language development central to his creative method.