Races or Species

[RepresentingPride]

After the feedback I got from the little chicken, I started to edit some of my chapters and one things I changed was races into species, I know that "species" is the right word to use, but still, I think races suit better, maybe due to the number of books who use it, like tolkien for exemple.


So, which one do you prefer read/use? Races or Species?

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Races so that way you can have racist dwarves and elves.

 

[Nahrenne]

After the feedback I got from the little chicken, I started to edit some of my chapters and one things I changed was races into species, I know that "species" is the right word to use, but still, I think races suit better, maybe due to the number of books who use it, like tolkien for exemple.


So, which one do you prefer read/use? Races or Species?

I tend to use races for humanoids/creatures that can communicate and have a culture, and species for creatures.
'-'

X

 

[TheEldritchGod]

So, which one do you prefer read/use? Races or Species?

I call other species/races what they are.
Inferior.

 

[J_Chemist]

Race is the proper identifier. Cook the chicken because they're stupid and use the proper words.

The typical Fantasy Races would all fall under the Homo genus but would be different Species due to their varied genetic traits. However, unless you want to run around calling Humans, Sapiens, in your story, then just stick to Racial identifiers. Saying you're going to use Species but then using the word Human is bogus and I'll give you a 2 star rating for being a coward.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

Race brings forth more political connotations rather than biological like species. So race is indeed better. Mine, I mean.
My race is simply better

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

I tend to use both. Sometimes at random. Other times I have it so you'd have like, Beastkin as a species, then housecat, wolf, shark, etc as the races of the Beastkin species.

 

[Missivist]

"Races" can freely cross breed with healthy offspring. If half-elves are a thing and healthy, humans and elves might be two races of one species, but may be "sub-species". Because yes that's a thing, and the labels of species and sub-species may be controversial. On the other hand, "race" discussions don't get a lot of love from biologists lately.
"Species" crossings may be impossible, offspring may not be viable, or offspring may have poor survival or fertility rates. If half-elves are rarely born, and ofail to reproduce even if they survive long enough to try, then humans and elves are two separate species. Horses and donkeys are two species thst can cross breed, but offspring are generally infertile.
So, your humans, elves and dwarves could be one species with three sub-species ())or races, if you must) with fairies and pixies as two races of another, different species. That works
Cat girls, of course, are beyond explanation.

 

[Daitengu]

If they can interbreed I prefer races. If they can't I prefer species.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

There are species of each race. Race being similar to the word 'kind', such as mankind.

 

[BlackKnightX]

It's a bit tricky in fantasy, but from the scientific point of view, species refers to a group of living organisms that can interbreed. Races are subspecies within the same species.

Take humans, for instance. We're all Homo sapiens, but within our species, there are many different races. In general and in the simplest terms we use, there are Black, Asian, White, etc. As you can see, it's more of a social construct than biology, even though there are differences in characteristics involved.

With that said, when it comes to fantasy, if elves and humans can breed and have children—half-elves—they're considered to be from the same species, scientific wise, but from different races. Same goes for beastmen and dwarves. Even the monsters like goblins and orcs are considered to be from the same species as humans if the requirement is met.

To conclude: humanoid living organisms are all from the same species but can be from the different races. So saying elves are a different race from humans is actually accurate, scientific wise. Species usually refers to beasts and non-humanoid creatures.

 

[prognastat]

It's a bit tricky in fantasy, but from the scientific point of view, species refers to a group of living organisms that can interbreed. Races are subspecies within the same species.

Take humans, for instance. We're all homosapiens, but within our species, there are many different races. In general and in the simplest terms we use, there are Black, Asian, White, etc. As you can see, it's more of a social construct than biology, even though there are differences in characteristics involved.

With that said, when it comes to fantasy, if elves and humans can interbreed and have children—half-elves—they're considered to be from the same species, scientific wise, but from different races. Same goes for beastmen and dwarves. Even the monsters like goblins and orcs are considered to be from the same species as humans if the requirement is met.

To conclude, humanoid living organisms are all from the same species but can be from the different races. So saying elves are a different race from humans is actually accurate, scientific wise. Species usually refers to beasts and non-humanoid creatures.

For monsters that breed with humans like the goblins it actually depends. Most stories have human and goblin relations result in 100% goblin offspring in which case they aren't really interbreeding and more using the member of the other species like some kind of biological breeding chamber for their own species. If this is the case they still wouldn't be the same species. If the offspring end sup being half goblin and half human though then they would be one species.

I do generally agree with the if they can interbreed then it's the same species, but if they can't then they are different species logic for which term to use.

 

[HungrySheep]

Both work for me. I've never really paid attention to this, but I guess I'd use "species" if the character or scene is trying to evoke a more "science-y" feel?

 

[georgelee5786]

Race rolls of the tongue and sounds better. The race of men. The race of elves. Sounds way better than the species of elves, or elven species

 

[Sola-sama]

Race: elf
Species: high elf, dark elf, etc.

It's similiar to Race: Human, species: Homo Sapien, Homo Erectus, Pithecanthropus Paleojavanicus, or you know, Mon Keigh.

 

[EliseValkyria]

I usually use Races to say to what, well race the characters: mermaid, human, a elf.

And species to identify differences between the same race, white and dark elf, Fox girls from bunny girl, etc, etc

 

[sanitylimited]

race is a subgenre of species.

so a dog is a species, pit bull is a race.

though it gets messy when it comes to humans because of arrogance and pride. fish are also wierd when it comes to what is a fish.


just create a new word and hope it catches on. be the next shakespere

 

[Sabruness]

It's a bit tricky in fantasy, but from the scientific point of view, species refers to a group of living organisms that can interbreed. Races are subspecies within the same species.

Take humans, for instance. We're all homosapiens, but within our species, there are many different races. In general and in the simplest terms we use, there are Black, Asian, White, etc. As you can see, it's more of a social construct than biology, even though there are differences in characteristics involved.

With that said, when it comes to fantasy, if elves and humans can interbreed and have children—half-elves—they're considered to be from the same species, scientific wise, but from different races. Same goes for beastmen and dwarves. Even the monsters like goblins and orcs are considered to be from the same species as humans if the requirement is met.

To conclude: humanoid living organisms are all from the same species but can be from the different races. So saying elves are a different race from humans is actually accurate, scientific wise. Species usually refers to beasts and non-humanoid creatures.

this is 100%. like bullseye in the middle of a dartboard.

 

[DemonOppai]

I’ve never been called a races before

 

[LilRora]

I feel like species is the more correct word, but races makes it different from, like, animals, since species is associated more with them. So using races suggests you're talking about something different, and in fantasy context it's generally some (relatively) intelligent species that have some special place in the story.

Does that make sense?