Finnish influences on Tolkien

Finnish influences on Tolkien include both the Finnish language, which he especially liked, and the Kalevala, Elias Lönnrot's 19th century compilation of Finnish mythology, which Tolkien stated had powerfully affected him. He further stated that his invented Elvish language of Quenya was influenced by the phonology and structure of Finnish.

Source: Wikipedia — Finnish influences on Tolkien (CC BY-SA 4.0)