Obviously we are not talking about reality here. In the real world, one must acknowledge that except for a tiny fringe of radically, although harmlessly, delusional people, no one really believes in elves anymore. Elves in the anthropological folklore of several cultures is probably just a primitive reaction to those suffering from the genetic abnormality known as Williams Syndrome. From there, the idea of elves as an ancient race of fertility spirits probably devolved into the mischievous faeries and sprites of folklore even as the Christian deity replaced the once formidable Scandinavian and Norse deities.

So, we’re talking about fiction. And once you acknowledge that, you must also acknowledge that we’re really talking about Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien, that donnish linguistic savant created the race of elves from equal parts of ancient folklore and his dabbling with paralinguistics. Tolkien created a language, and a mythos, and then a culture and finally a great novel. His elves are the true elves. So let’s look at the difference between these elves and the humans of Middle Earth.

First, the elves are taller, fairer and more graceful than mankind. They are also nigh immortal. The half-elven, like Elrond, may live a shorter life-span than a full elf, but the difference is lost to human-kind. Even a slight amount of elf blood can make a huge difference. The Numenoreans descend from the elves, so that even Aragorn has three-times the life span of a normal human. Elves posses an innate wisdom that is proportional to their obedience to the command of the Valar who summoned them to Valinor. Those who did not obey the summons, the Avari, are the wild folk, the uncivilized ones.

There are also different kinds of elves, from the lowest of the low, the Avari, to the noble Sindar. Most of the elves are Silvan, or commonly Wood-elves. Thranduil and his son Legolas are those very Sindar elves, as is Elrond, at least in part. Galadriel is in this Eldar line, both the mother-in-law of Elrond and Arwen’s grandmother. But the elves are in their very nature supernatural creatures who belong to the world of the West, which is why they needed to depart from Middle Earth.

Humans, on the other hand, are The Secondborn of the Children of Iluvatar, To go further than that is to delve into the deep and perilous waters of Norse and Icelandic sagas, They are mortal, both good and evil, both foolish and wise. Many fell under the shadow of Morgoth in the East, but many also discovered Numenor and the elves.

Humans have rounded ears. Elves have pointed ears.