Being (im)polite: A forensic linguistic approach to interpreting a hate speech case

In a hate speech case a court might have to determine whether a person’s words were hurtful or harmful. Would it be possible to determine whether words are hurtful or harmful by using linguistics? This article offers a linguistic perspective on a court’s interpretation of the Equality Act in a hate speech case and focuses on speech acts and politeness. If the speech acts of a verbal exchange are studied and the levels of politeness are gauged, a court would be able to affi rm the hurtfulness or harmfulness of the speaker’s words. The article begins with a brief discussion on the potential role of the linguist in a courtroom; this is followed by a summary of the facts of the case. Then the court case is analysed and discussed in terms of speech acts and politeness. By employing principles in pragmatics the author reaches the same conclusion as the court.Afrikaans and Theory of Literatur

Mixed-valent ruthenium oxide - ruthenium cyanide inorganic film on glassy carbon electrodes as an amperometric sensor of aliphatic alcohols

A mixed-valent ruthenium oxide-ruthenium cyanide film on glassy carbon (GC/mvRuO-RuCN) electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward oxidation of simple aliphatic alcohols and polyhydric compounds in acidic media. Electrochemical formation of the ruthenium oxide-based chemically modified electrode can be accomplished by potential cycling or potentiostatic control in diluted sulfuric acid solutions. The attractive electrooxidation capabilities of hydroxyl-containing compounds at this modified electrode are highlighted in terms of sensitivity, stability, and catalytic action. Remarkably, the molar response of the catalytic oxidation increases on increasing the chain length of aliphatic alcohols. For example, the molar response ratio between 1-butanol and methanol is 37 in 25 mM sulfuric acid. Chromatographic separations with electrochemical detection using the GC/mvRuO-RuCN modified electrode allo rr very simple quantitation of aliphatic alcohols in real samples with linear calibration plots over about 3 orders of magnitude. The detection limits for ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol are 4, 0.8, 1, and 2 nmol injected (S/N = 3), respectively

Anaerobic synthesis of vitamin B12: characterization of the early steps in the pathway.

The anaerobic biosynthesis of vitamin B12 is slowly being unravelled. Recent work has shown that the first committed step along the anaerobic route involves the sirohydrochlorin (chelation of cobalt into factor II). The following enzyme in the pathway, CbiL, methylates cobalt-factor II to give cobalt-factor III. Recent progress on the molecular characterization of this enzyme has given a greater insight into its mode of action and specificity. Structural studies are being used to provide insights into how aspects of this highly complex biosynthetic pathway may have evolved. Between cobalt-factor III and cobyrinic acid, only one further intermediate has been identified. A combination of molecular genetics, recombinant DNA technology and bioorganic chemistry has led to some recent advances in assigning functions to the enzymes of the anaerobic pathway