Social: In the earlier case of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, Lamanites who accepted the gospel eventually moved into Nephite lands and became Nephites. In this more recent case we have a repetition of the same thing. To this point the converted Lamanites have been referred to as Lamanites. They appear to have kept their separate cities and governments. In the face of this new threat, the believing Lamanites align themselves with the Nephites. They will become Nephites. This conjunction of peoples based upon political exigency, and the subsequent categorization of these peoples as Nephite further reinforces the idea that Lamanite and Nephite have become political designations more than lineal designations in the Book of Mormon.