Half-Elf

Half-Elves are, (duh) the children of humans and elves. They maintain many of the characteristics their elvish and human parents, only watered down: For example, they live a wee bit longer than humans (they don't hit venerable until they're over 100 years old) but remain vigorous to the end like the elves.

Typically the combination is human father/elven mother (because elven women are comparatively more desirable to human men than elven men are to human women, since elven men are neither boyish nor manly as much as effeminate). Also, the elven parent is almost always a high elf; half-drow, merrows, gray elves, and what-not are incredibly rare unless there's a Drizzt clone on the prowl, using his/her inexplicably potent sexual charisma to pour forth their tainted seed upon the land to trouble the weary world.

In 4e, they have a +2 Constitution (from their human parentage), and a choice of +2 Wis or +2 Cha (presumably from Elven parentage). They make shitty rangers, which is also bizarre considering they're descended from the one race that can do it right. They do make pretty amazing bards, and half-elf bards have a specific paragon path dedicated to them.

On the other hand, they can warlord like a boss and they get a free encounter power from any class other than their own. If you like trawling through setting guides and back issues of magazines (or have CBLoader), half-elves are the class for you. The only downside is, you're playing a race with "elf" in the name, and nobody wants that.

Get your DM to let you be half-dorf instead. Makes more sense, crunch-to-fluff-wise, and lets you be a race that's actually got a little man in it. See also Half-dwarf.