Quenya is the elven language developed among the Elves of the Light who reside in Valinor. The Noldor elves bring a dialect of Quenya with them to Middle-earth, but Thingol bans its use in Beleriand, and Sindarin becomes the primary language among the Noldor.
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Quenya Term Timeline in The Silmarillion
The timeline below shows where the term Quenya appears in The Silmarillion. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 15. Of the Noldor in Beleriand
...and his sons. Thingol promises to remain friends with the followers of Fingolfin but forbids Quenya, the language of the Noldor, in Beleriand. The Noldor are forced to speak Sindarin.
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