Are "dwarf" Ellipticals genuine Ellipticals?

We review the systematic properties of dwarf'' elliptical (dE) galaxies, focussing on the relation between normal’’ and dwarf'' ellipticals. In recent years, this relation has been described as dichotomy’’ – based essentially on a discontinuity in central surface brightness. We show that, outside of 300 pc from the centre, the S'ersic profile parameters vary continuously from normal'' to dwarf’’ ellipticals. The dichotomy'' is indeed restricted to the very central part, where differences also exist among normal’’ ellipticals (E). Bright, nucleated dE’s closely resemble ``normal’’ E’s also in their clustering and flattening properties. They may be genuine ellipticals, having no present-day late-type dwarf precursor from which they could have been manufactured. The non-nucleated dE’s (“dwarf spheroidals”) may be a different breed.