J.R.R. Tolkien created Quenya as a language associated with the High Elves of Middle-earth.
Quenya is one of Tolkien’s most developed constructed languages. He based much of its sound and structure on languages he studied, especially Finnish, while also giving it its own vocabulary, grammar, and historical development. In Tolkien’s mythology, Quenya was connected with the Elves of Valinor and remained a prestigious, formal language among many later Elves.
Quenya is not the same as Sindarin. Sindarin was another major Elvish language and became more widely spoken in Middle-earth during the Third Age. Tolkien often presented languages as changing over time, with related forms reflecting migration, separation, and cultural history.
The language’s name is commonly translated as “speech” or “language,” depending on context. Tolkien’s linguistic work was central to his world-building rather than a decorative addition made after the stories were complete.