Quenya belongs to the Elvish language family in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional languages.
Tolkien created Quenya as one of the principal languages of the Elves. Within his linguistic history, it developed from Primitive Quendian and is especially associated with the High Elves, including the Ñoldor and Vanyar. Its sound and structure were influenced in part by Finnish, one of Tolkien’s favorite languages.
Quenya is distinct from Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin became the everyday Elvish language of many inhabitants of Middle-earth, while Quenya often had a more formal, ancient, or ceremonial role. The names of figures such as Eärendil and many well-known phrases reflect Tolkien’s constructed languages.
Tolkien’s languages are not simply interchangeable fantasy vocabulary. He developed related forms, historical changes, grammar, and writing systems, often revising them throughout his life. Quenya is therefore best identified as Elvish rather than as Dwarvish, the Black Speech of Mordor, or the human language Adûnaic.