Scots and its local varieties: A linguistic investigation of a selection of contemporary literary texts

openMy dissertation explores how the Scots language by its speakers as a tool to express their identity in some contexts of the Scottish society, is used. Using a small corpus of three books written by Scottish writers partially in English and partially in Scots, I focus on some grammatical and pragmatic aspects, namely the use of vocabulary, pronouns, interjections, the Northern Subject Rule, and negation in the Scots language. Then I draw a comparison of how Scots and English are used in the literary works of the corpus. From the analyses conducted, I argue that the use of Scots helps its speakers to better convey their intended meanings and by doing that also their own identity. From a comparison with English, it has emerged that Scots still carries a stigma for some of its speakers, who see it as a carrier of an identity from which they want to disassociate.My dissertation explores how the Scots language by its speakers as a tool to express their identity in some contexts of the Scottish society, is used. Using a small corpus of three books written by Scottish writers partially in English and partially in Scots, I focus on some grammatical and pragmatic aspects, namely the use of vocabulary, pronouns, interjections, the Northern Subject Rule, and negation in the Scots language. Then I draw a comparison of how Scots and English are used in the literary works of the corpus. From the analyses conducted, I argue that the use of Scots helps its speakers to better convey their intended meanings and by doing that also their own identity. From a comparison with English, it has emerged that Scots still carries a stigma for some of its speakers, who see it as a carrier of an identity from which they want to disassociate

Extracellular Self-DNA (esDNA), but Not Heterologous Plant or Insect DNA (etDNA), Induces Plasma Membrane Depolarization and Calcium Signaling in Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus) and Maize (Zea mays)

Extracellular self-DNA (esDNA) is produced during cell and tissue damage or degradation and has been shown to induce significant responses in several organisms, including plants. While the inhibitory effects of esDNA have been shown in conspecific individuals, little is known on the early events involved upon plant esDNA perception. We used electrophysiology and confocal laser scanning microscopy calcium localization to evaluate the plasma membrane potential (Vm) variations and the intracellular calcium fluxes, respectively, in Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) and maize (Zea mays) plants exposed to esDNA and extracellular heterologous DNA (etDNA) and to etDNA from Spodoptera littoralis larvae and oral secretions. In both species, esDNA induced a significant Vm depolarization and an increased flux of calcium, whereas etDNA was unable to exert any of these early signaling events. These findings confirm the specificity of esDNA to induce plant cell responses and to trigger early signaling events that eventually lead to plant response to damage