[DGMarie]

SOCIETY:

The totality of social relationships among humans.
A group of humans broadly distinguished from other groups by mutual interests, participation in characteristic relationships, shared institutions, and a common culture.
The institutions and culture of a distinct self-perpetuating group.
An organization or association of persons engaged in a common profession, activity, or interest: a folklore society; a society of bird watchers.
The rich, privileged, and fashionable social class.
The socially dominant members of a community.
Companionship; company: enjoys the society of friends and family members.
Biology. A colony or community of organisms, usually of the same species: an insect society.

And SORORITY
A chiefly social organization of women students at a college or university, usually designated by Greek letters.
An association or a society of women.

And FRATERNITY
A body of people associated for a common purpose or interest, such as a guild.
A group of people joined by similar backgrounds, occupations, interests, or tastes: the fraternity of bird watchers.
A chiefly social organization of men students at a college or university, usually designated by Greek letters.
Roman Catholic Church. A sodality.
The quality or condition of being brothers; brotherliness.



....so they are all socieities as far I can tell. The issue then, it seems, is the PURPOSE for which they were founded. Even Theta appears to have an academic bent to their founding (as does DG bec if you read through the original minute book you'll find them discussing essays and famous people in history). So I suppose it is a matter of when they became not focused only on literature and on more social matters. All quite muddy it appears. I'm afraid I'm inclined to let Theta and Phi Nu duke it out. I'm not qualified as I'm not an executive member of either!