Kelpten wrote:... Also, if it didn't take too much effort, a tail and ears, not to mention the sweat glands in between the toes, would allow for better communication expressing some concepts that may be difficult with words without having to revert to a complete shift.
Alright...see...now please stop and think about what you are saying.
..."sweat glands"?!...
I know you are just trying to be enthusiastic and 'authentic' about representing the
Wolfiness of a Werewolf, but this "Communication" talk really needs a reality check.
The Ears and Tail of a Wolf are used to express a select few SIMPLE concepts and signals between wolves, as their only method of doing so, due to their lack of a true Language.
"Dominant", "Submissive", "Happy", "Unhappy"...and subtle variances for more specific emotions such as Fear and Anger, etc.
...
that's it.
The suggestion that a werewolf would not be able to properly convey these things to each other without ears, a tail and special glads is nonsense. In case you have forgotten, Human beings have come up with countless OTHER ways to convey these same concepts to each other, not only in more than a hundred different spoken languages, but with many different forms of nonverbal signals...no tail or ears reqired...such as a friendly wave, a scowl, a pout, or showing someone your extended middle finger. ...etc...
There are absolutely NO nonverbal signals that Wolves use that do not have a dozen or more equivalent human gestures that convey the same thing...in multiple languages even. (such as the Japanese insult of pulling down your lower eyelid with your finger.)
As for the use of Glands... Wolves and other animals use that for one purpose only. ...to identify 'possession'. "
MY territory...", "
MY mate...".
[Edit: ...oh, and to attract mates and deter potential intruders I suppose...and then there are creatures like SKUNKS...but that is getting off topic.]
Humans, and anything with the intelligence of a Human, have less
smelly ways of identifying their possessions and property...like tags, or just saying, "this is mine".
[Edit:]This reminds me of a story arc from the Web-Comic
Kevin and Kell where one of the characters lost his tail, and until he had it repaired, they constantly joked about how no one could understand him, and how his 'accent' was really thick without his tail. That was really cute, funny and cleaver. But when you apply a little logic to the situation, and apply the same communication concepts to a more realistic interpretation, it really doesn't make sense.
This all leads back to the elements being "Appropriate" to the story being told. For a light hearted, fun and entertaining story, using wolven communication signals as a preferential form of non-verbal communication, (even in human form), and scent markers could be really funny, and would open up a whole range of creative and fun situations. If someone made a comedy saturated Werewolf Story or Series that involved such behavior, I would look at it and call it
"Brilliant", as the idea is undeniably entertaining.
Please...no one misunderstand me. I am not, nor have I ever been trying to claim that ALL werewolves and Werewolf stories, or even stories that just involve a Werewolf character need to conform to a certain set of rules and guidelines, or that all Werewolves need to be a certain way. I LOVE Variety.
...but some of the most amusing, entertaining, and even POPULAR concepts from one genre
just don't work in another. Now...if the wolven part of a Werewolves brain started to influence their behavior in human form, leading them to start using mimicry of wolven signals to emphasize their points in human form, possibly without them even realizing it,
THAT I would find believable...
(Like snarling and baring teeth while angry, lowering the head when subdued, holding the knees together as if pinching an inviable tail between the legs...wait...actually, people already do that. Heh...).
If one is trying to convey a serious mood, and is portraying a scene where two Werewolves are having a stare-down, it would REALLY kill the moment if they both suddenly grew out their tails and ears
just to swivel them forward and hold it up in dominant, aggressive position to emphasize their aggressive dispositions towards each other. Gnashing teeth, dirty looks, and more traditional aggressive posture would serve the purpose much more effectively.
...and I don't even want to TOUCH the subject of 'Scent Marking'...
Please...if you are trying to be Serious...
be serious.
But if you are being silly, say, "...wouldn't it be really funny if...", and then I'll probably say, "*LOL*...that's
hilarious...someone should totally write a story about that...".
I
LOVE a healthy dose of absurdity and awkward humor in the morning. Two of my favorite cartoons are "Family Guy", and "Fosters"...and neither of those shows even
try to be realistic.