?

[Tom Earp]

wptw, could you speak a little more in Earp Spake!

Your wording is to fancy for me to comprehend!

Does the Social part have anything to Being a Greek Social Org?

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by queequek
"Acacia" is a greek word, thus in a sense, they are Greek. Even more "greek-er" than the rest of us, because they are using Greek word instead of Greek letters.

Okay, I'll disagree just a little. Acacia (it's a kind of tree, in case anyone is wondering) is an Latin derivative of a Greek word: akakia (akakia). The Latin version came straight into English, and is pronounced uh-KAY-shuh, as opposed to the Greek ah-KAH-kee-ah. So acacia is a Latin/English word, not a Greek one. Minor quibble, but what the hey.

I'll throw my hat in with wptw, KSigkid and others: "Greek" is short-hand for Greek-letter organization/fraternity/sorority; it is also a name for a member of a Greek-letter organization/fraternity/sorority. Without Greek letters, an organization is not a Greek-letter organization. It certainly may be (and in the case of FH, Acacia, Triangle, Ceres, etc., is) a true fraternity or sorority, it just isn't a Greek-letter fraternity or sorority. No disrespect intended in the least.

That said, there are loose, slang uses: When someone says "Go Greek," I think we can all assume that they mean "join a fraternity or sorority," regardless of whether it has Greek letters in the name. So, I imagine most of us would consider joining FH or Triangle as "going Greek."

And for Tom Earp, Acacia was an outgrowth of the University of Michigan Masonic Club. Originally, membership was restricted to Master Masons, and the fraternity still has a strong Masonic connection.

[AlphaFrog]

Well said, my friend in music... (I knew there was a reason I liked Sinfonias...they're so eloqent)

[PSK480]

Ok, question for you then, When you have events like "Greek Week", homecoming do you invite Farmhouse and Triangle and the like to participate? Do they sit on the council with voice and vote like the rest of you?

What I was trying to say was simplified by Tom when he said

But, they all evolved into a Social Fraternity/Sority system who rush those out side of the feilds of study for which they were founded upon. Not having Greek Letters, make them no less Greek Orgs. but without Greek Letters.

The Original Greek Orgs were founded for the same reason but using Greek Letters and the early ones were founded following the Masonic teachings. And everything came to past from there.
Of the Service, music, etc have Greek Leter Names, they are not Greek Social Orgs but using the letters.

So while they are Greek Letter Orgs. so are FH Triangle, Acacia!

That saying why are Greeks with 2 letters better than those with 3.

I agree they aren't greek in the sense that they don't use greek letters but they should be made just as much a part of your greek community on campus as the orgs that use greek letters.

[AlphaFrog]

No one's denying that they should be a part of Greek Week...or that they are part of the Fraternity (which happens to be mostly Greek) community... It's just that they themselves are not Greek Letter Orgs.

Maybe we should be more PC and change "Greek Week" to "Fraternity Week"...would that suit you more?

[wptw]

PSK, for Pete’s sake…

We use the word “greek” as a modern day colloquialism to describe the very broad community of fraternities and sororities. Yes, this includes non greek lettered fraternities. Yes, OBVIOUSLY you still invite Farm House to greek week.

But technically speaking… I’m talking JUST about the semantics here… OK? In the traditional convention started sometime in the 1800s of calling members of greek lettered fraternities “greeks” because of the greek nomenclature they used, Farm House simply does not qualify.

Likewise, many of you call any old facial tissue a Kleenex. No one is going to correct you because it’s become generally accepted. But technically, not every tissue is a Kleenex.

I don’t know how to make the point any clearer. I’m arguing language and you’re arguing application.

Now, as for Tom, you see…if what I wrote doesn’t make any sense, then it IS Earp-speak! Ha, PSK used a phrase I never expected to see in my lifetime: “what I was trying to say was simplified by Tom ”.

wptw

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by wptw
Ha, PSK used a phrase I never expected to see in my lifetime: “what I was trying to say was simplified by Tom ”.

I was thinking the same thing...I about died of a heart attack/laughter when I read that!

[wptw]

In honor of my agriculturally minded friends at the non-greek-lettered Farm House fraternity…

Why is a cantaloupe not considered a watermelon?

They’re both melons. They both grow from a seed you plant in the ground. They both sprout, grow vines and leaves, blossom, and produce fruit with a hard rind, sweet flesh and seeds inside. They’re both round. They’re in the same area in the produce section of the grocery store. They’re both extremely tasty and they can both be carved into fancy shapes for company picnics and family reunions and the like.

So never mind that early on in their history they were given completely different names based on slight differences in their outward appearance. Never mind that words actually have specific meanings attached to them. I guess cantaloupes and watermelons are the same thing!

And no one had better come along and try to say “a cantaloupe is not a watermelon”, because then you’ll offend all sorts of people who think you’re somehow trying to put down the poor cantaloupe by saying it’s not a watermelon!

wptw

[AlphaFrog]

Very cute and well said, wptw

Originally posted by PSK480
Hell, if you think about it, none of us are really greek. How can we claim to be greek, yeah we use their letters, nomenclature, and a few symbols here or there, but, how many of us really have ancestry from Greece? We're just piggy backing off of their culture, alphabet, language, but we're NOT greek.

*edited to reword and try to clarify*

I am, and since i am, i consider myself the expert on all Hellenic things.

FH, Acacia, Triangle, Ceres= NON Greek (esp. not ceres, using a roman name )

GLO's with 2 letters are definately superior to those with 3. (3 letters is only filler)

Stop piggy backing off my culture, you hosers!

Kitsopoulos
KS 361 times people have said to me, wow, your last name is just like Uncle Jesse on Full House, are you related?

[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by wptw
Likewise, many of you call any old facial tissue a Kleenex. No one is going to correct you because it’s become generally accepted. But technically, not every tissue is a Kleenex.

Yes, and not every tampon is a Tampax and not every photocopier is a Xerox and not every gelatin is Jello.

Actually, there is a term for when the "brand name" becomes the name of the thing itself but I just can't think of what it is right now.

[pinkyphimu]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
You could probably add Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia to that group as well. When originally founded in 1898, we were the simply the Sinfonia Fraternity. (Actually, at the very first we were the Sinfonia Club, but it soon became the Sinfonia Fraternity). Originally, our badge was a black triangle with a gold Old English "S".

The letters Phi, Mu, and Alpha began to figure in Fraternity writings and symbolism by 1902. The letters were unofficially added to the badge by some chapters soon after. In 1909 or 1910, the addition of the letters to badge became official. The "alternate" name, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, came into use early on, but the change was not made official until the 1940's. We still call the Fraternity either by its full name, by the name Phi Mu Alpha, or by the simple name Sinfonia. Brothers are called Sinfonians, not "Phi Mu Alphas."

There is a historical/academic reason why Greek letters may not have been used by some of these groups, at least not a first. The earliest fraternities (and sororities) were born in liberal arts institutions, where Greek and the classics were a standard part of the curriculum. It was natural, therefore, for GLO founders to turn to them for inspiration.

Groups like Triangle and FarmHouse, however, took root in technical and argricultural institutioins, where Greek was not a standard part of the curriculum. Similarly, Phi Mu Alpha was born in a conservatory -- our first four chapters were all in conservatories -- where Greek was not taught. Some of these groups never "latched on" to Greek, while others (like Phi Mu Alpha) apparently adopted Greek letters in imitation of already-existing GLOs.

Hope this makes some sense.

this is a great explanation!!! thanks.

[Jilly]

Originally posted by wptw


We use the word “greek” as a modern day colloquialism to describe the very broad community of fraternities and sororities. Yes, this includes non greek lettered fraternities.[/B]

\

You said it yourself "we use the word greek...." so dont get mad when people want to call every fraternity and sorority greek. By saying greek they are not saying "they use greek letters" but that they are grouping them and when every thing is referred to as greek for fraternities and sororities as greek you get use to thinking of them that way. Go Greek no matter the letter or non greek letter! Doesnt make them any better or worse!

[wptw]

Who's mad?

I use the same colloquialism.

But technically, it's incorrect.

(that's why I chose to use the word colloquialism)

Likewise, quoting someone out of context to make a point as you did is generally considered rude, but in an informal setting such as a message board it is fairly commonplace and therefore usually acceptable.

wptw

[CutiePie2000]

Will this thread ever die? LOL.........