RighttoFork

Been doing some interesting reading on meatball wiki about community dynamics tonight. Although the structure of wikis normally do not appeal to my thought processes, this one has managed to hold my interest and allowed me to navigate it successfully. Among other things, the reading that I've down there has gotten me thinking about the concept of newbies in the otherkin community. Specifically the prevalent suggestion that certain discussions be taken to the various (now consolidated?) newbie lists.

What does one call it when there are two groups of people, having very topically different conversations linked only by an overarching subject, where only a small percentage of the members of either group overlap?

I'd call that situation having two separate communities, personally. Regardless of whether the small percentage of overlapping members from the supposed "main" community fulfilled mentor roles in the secondary community or not.