Quenya, one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Elvish languages, was chiefly inspired by Finnish.
Tolkien developed Quenya as a highly structured language with extensive vocabulary, grammar, and historical development. He admired Finnish after encountering the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic, and used aspects of Finnish phonology and grammar as an important inspiration.
Quenya is associated with the Elves of Valinor and is often described within Tolkien’s mythology as an ancient or ceremonial language. Sindarin, another major Elvish language, was more widely spoken in much of Middle-earth and drew more strongly on Welsh.
Tolkien did not copy Finnish or Welsh directly. He created independent languages with their own histories, sound changes, and relationships. The distinction between Quenya and Sindarin is one of the most common points of confusion in discussions of Tolkien’s linguistic invention.