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Folklore Classification - continuing on a theme
The races* of man are divided along ethnic origins; from the very general - Oriental, European, African, Polynesian, Australian, North American (Native), South American (Native), Caribbean - to the more specific country or region of origin.
* MOST people understand that all men are the same species.
Within a race, there are regional differences even more minute than specific country of origin. People ... humans can live in tents, on boats, in trees, in tenements/apartment buildings, in castles, in caves, in huts. They can live in desert regions, flooded areas, forests, jungles, islands, cities, towns, &c. Classifying a "race" distinction by the type of home seems far too precious and arbitrary. On the other hand, all the races of man breathe air and live above the water and earth. Not all the races of Otherfolk do so. Would water-breathers or amphibious races of Otherfolk be classified as "regional differences" or different species? I suppose ...
I was going to say it would depend on whether they could interbreed but that's a no-go because most races of Otherfolk can interbreed with Humankind.
I think it can be safely said that dwarvenfolk are not the same race as elvankind. I propose that they are as related as the wolf is to the coyote ... or the horse is to the ass. The difference being, of course, that coyote and wolf hybrids are fertile where horse and ass hybrids are not.
It also occurs to me that they'd rather be compared to the tiger and lion than horse and ass but the timer has just rung and I have to go.
* MOST people understand that all men are the same species.
Within a race, there are regional differences even more minute than specific country of origin. People ... humans can live in tents, on boats, in trees, in tenements/apartment buildings, in castles, in caves, in huts. They can live in desert regions, flooded areas, forests, jungles, islands, cities, towns, &c. Classifying a "race" distinction by the type of home seems far too precious and arbitrary. On the other hand, all the races of man breathe air and live above the water and earth. Not all the races of Otherfolk do so. Would water-breathers or amphibious races of Otherfolk be classified as "regional differences" or different species? I suppose ...
I was going to say it would depend on whether they could interbreed but that's a no-go because most races of Otherfolk can interbreed with Humankind.
I think it can be safely said that dwarvenfolk are not the same race as elvankind. I propose that they are as related as the wolf is to the coyote ... or the horse is to the ass. The difference being, of course, that coyote and wolf hybrids are fertile where horse and ass hybrids are not.
It also occurs to me that they'd rather be compared to the tiger and lion than horse and ass but the timer has just rung and I have to go.