Once upon a time, things were so good that there were no “manner of -ites” (4 Nephi 1:17). By the Nephite year 231, that idyllic time had ended. Once again, we have “-ites,” and they fall into the previous categories of unbelief. While it is certain that tribal distinctions remained, it would be unusual for all of those who apostatized from the Nephite religion to just happen to belong to the old designations for the unbelievers.
Mormon is doing what Jacob did hundreds of years before: “But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings” (Jacob 1:14).
We should understand that Mormon is creating a restored Nephite nation, along with restoring its self-identity. The important part is not in names, but rather in functions. There are the righteous, and they are called Nephites. Once again, there are others. Verses 38 and 39 emphasize that things have come around to the conditions in the beginning. Just as there was hatred in the beginning, there is hatred again. Mormon is emphasizing the return to that period.