In this light of the suggestion that Alma was echoing Nephi when he spoke of the Nephites as scattered people, we may also see an echo of Nephi in Alma's reference to "plain terms." Nephi frequently uses the term "plain" to indicate his approach to the scriptures and their application. He notes:
2 Nephi 32:7
7 And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.
There is not sufficient correspondence between Alma and Nephi to know that Alma is specifically citing a verse, but he is clearly referencing a concept. Between the concept of plainness and the concept of the people as those scattered, the combination of two major themes from Nephi suggests that there is a reference here, even though it is not clearly stated.