Wednesday, March 10, 1999 The University Daily Kansar Section A·Page 5 Professor starts online dialect archive By Ezra Sykes By Ezra Sykes eskyes@kansan.com Kansan staff writer A new Web site takes Internet users through the thick and thin of English accents and dialects. Paul Meier, associate professor of theater and film, and Shawn Muller, Overland Park senior, have produced a new Web site named International Dialects of English Archives (IDEA) to provide actors, students and teachers with a database of English accents and dialect samples from around the world. The site at http://www.ukans.edu/~idea/index.html is the first of its kind. "This is the only one in the world as far as I know," said Meier, an accent and dialect coach. The project began about a year and a half ago, said Muller, the site's webmaster and former student of Meter's. Meier and Muller began looking at the possibility of putting samples of accents and dialects into MP3 files, a format that compresses large sound files into smaller ones so they can be quickly downloaded. Paul Meier listens to a Northern Ireland dialect recording that he prepares to digitize and load on to his web site. Students can use the site to listen to recordings of dialects from all over the world. Photo by Brad Looney/KANSAN After the two realized the project was feasible, Meier applied for a grant from the general research fund of the University of Kansas and received $7,000 to boot up the site. Meier said he wanted the site to become a place where watered-down stereotypes and cliches about different cultures evaporated. The site also will be helpful for professional and academic reasons. "We have a tendency in the U.S. to reduce other countries to cliche's." Meier said. "What the general public knows about manners, accents, architecture and others' way of life often comes from film. It's better if we get it right. This is my way of making it accurate—with lots and lots of research material." Eric Armstrong, who teaches accents and dialects at Brandeis University near Chicago, said the site was a breakthrough for actors, students and teachers. "This technology is making teach two accurate easier," he said. Armstrong said that previously those in the dialect and accent-teaching world had to rely on mailing audio tapes back and forth. If the site becomes successful, Armstrong said, trading audio samples could be an e-mail away. "It really shows the future of our field." Armstrong said. Samples for the site are provided by volunteers who naturally speak an English dialect or accent. Meier pointed out that accents ranged from very slight (in a subtle Russian accent) to very thick and clumsy (in a heavy and recognizable Russian accent). Meier asks participants to give some biographical data on the preliminary recording. Then he goes through and chops the 10- to 15-minute session into about two or three minutes, attempting to include sections that best exemplify the accent or dialect. Although the site contains seven different accent files right now, new accents and dialects will be added soon. Meier, who applied for a $21,000 grant from the National Endowment for Humanities, hopes to have at least 100 files by next spring. Edited by Jon Campbell KU law professors question e-mail case By Jennifer Roush jrush@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Some professors at the University of Kansas' law school are unsure whether Reno County prosecutors can win a conviction in the case of a 16-year-old Hutchinson girl charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were filed Feb. 18 in Reno County District Court by Assistant Reno County Attorney Linda Blackburn after the girl reportedly sent harassing e-mail messages to her former boyfriend, also 16. The boy's mother saw the e-mail messages and reported them to Tim Archer, a Hutchinson police officer who works with teenagers at Hutchinson High School, said Sgt. Jody Holmes of the Hutchinson Police Department. The e-mail was the last in a string of three similar messages to the boy. The other two were virtual greeting cards. One read "Die Loser," and the other had a heart with the words "Liar, Liar." KU law professors say they were surprised that the girl had been charged in the first place. They said that the disorderly conduct charge was too broad and that the girl had not threatened her former boyfriend. Mike Kautsch, professor of law, said he didn't think it mattered that the messages were e-mailed to the boy rather than written by hand. "It's entirely possible that the use of e-mail wasn't legally significant." he said. Kim Dayton, professor of law, helped draft the University's acceptable-use policy for e-mail. She said laws about what speech was permitted needed to be specific and clear. However, speech on the Internet generally is protected by the First Amendment, Dayton said. She also said that statutes prohibiting telephone harassment did not apply to computer use. "The Internet is an entirely new medium." Dayton said. "It blends attributes of newspapers, television, radio and people standing on soapboxes on the street." The University adopted its acceptable-use policy for electronic mail in March 1998, said Jerry Niebaum, director for Academic Computing Services. The policy, called "Netiquette", can be found online at www.ukans.edu/~vcinfo/net guide.html. "Netiquette" also includes other guidelines for KU email account holders. The document also is available in hard copy at the computer center. Penalties for misuse of University e-mail accounts include, but are not limited to, termination of the user's account. Niebium said. - Edited by Clint Hooker Internet charge rumor triggers online buzz By Jennifer Roush jroush@kansan.com Kansan staff writer The Internet has been buzzing for two weeks about a recent Federal Communication Commission ruling about the way telephone companies deal with Internet traffic between states. Students with e-mail accounts have received for warded messages with alarming subject lines, warning that the FCC was planning to charge long-distance fees or levy taxes to connect to the Internet. Evan Bryson, e-mail coordinator for the Organization of Adult Knowledge Seekers, said he had received such a message and was requested to forward it to members of the group's mailing list. "I got the message from Andy Schiro," Bryson said. "I didn't read all of it, though. I just skimmed it." Shiro, Lawrence freshman and OAKS—Non-Traditional Students Organization member, said he had heard conflicting rumors about the decision from sources on the Internet and through his job. An attorney for the FCC said the ruling was a clarification of the FCC's regulations regarding calls to Internet service providers. However, according to the FCC, the rumors are not true. The FCC attorney said calls to ISPs generally were considered interstate. That puts them under federal jurisdiction. She said the monetary part of the ruling applied only to telephone companies and would not affect individuals. Although most people who dial into the Internet call local numbers, they access Web sites and send e-mail to people in other states, she said. For that reason, the FCC considers the calls to be interstate. However, ISPs are considered to be enhanced service providers, the attorney said. The FCC granted them that status in 1984 in recognition of increasing online traffic. This status makes ISPs exempt from long-distance charges. The decision was made in response to increasing competition among telephone companies in local markets. It helps the FCC determine how money is distributed among phone companies. It also clarifies where the FCC has jurisdiction. The attorney said the ruckus began because people who regularly use the Internet tend to be very wary of anything that sounds like government regulation. She said the decision actually would keep the FCC away from the Internet. Edited by Keith Burner Hollywood Theaters SHOWS BEFORE 6 PM - ADULTS $4.00 CHILDREN/SENIORS $4.00 ALL DAY SOUTHWIND 12 3433 IOWA FEATURING STADIUM SEATING Set A & B Score 1 Paybacka 1.25 4.30, 7.40, 10.00 2 Rushmoreb 1.20 5.05, 7.20, 9.25 3 Office Spacec 1.50 4.20, 5.90, 9.20 4 The Other Sister d 1.00 4.10, 7.00, 9.45 5 Cruel Intentions e 1.30 4.25, 7.30, 9.40 6 Analyze This f 12.55 4.00*, 8.45, 9.15 7 8 mm g 1.10 4.15, 7.10, 9.50 8 Analyze This h 1.10 4.45, 7.45, 10.10* 9 October Sky i 1.15 4.35, 7.65, 9.30 10 Message in a Bottle j 1.35 4.40, 7.20, 9.55 11 Shakespeare in Love k 1.35 4.05, 6.50, 9.10 12 My favorite Martian l 1.45 5.00, 7.25, 9.25 From the Kansas & Burge Unions University/Community Service Scholarship Award As a result of the efforts of many students saving the furniture and art objects while providing invaluable service to firefighters during the Kansas Union Fire on April 20, 1970. insurance carriers decided to present the Kansas Union with a gift. The Student Union Activities Board will again choose a student deserving of being awarded a scholarship from the interest on this gift. Qualifications **MARKETING RULES** Must be a regularly enrolled KU student spring semester and be enrolled for the full 100 semesters. the tail branch spring our measurements • Must have demonstrated service to the university and/or the Lawrence com- - Scholarship, financial need, and references will be a minimal consideration in application reviews Applications: Applications: Available in SUA Office, Kansas Union, 864-3477. Must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 17 in the SUA Office. Interviews will be held starting at 4:45 p.m. Wed., April 14. We Buy, Sell, Trade & Consign USED & New Sports Equipment 3514 CLINTON PKWY. 838-9900 PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS 841-PLAY 1029 Massachusetts See Rusted Root live at Granada Theater Saturday, March 20th. Reserved seat tickets are on sale in the KU box offices. Murphy Hall, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS, SUA Office, 864-3777; public $12, all students $6, senior citizens $11; both VISA and MasterCard are accepted for phone orders. Partially funded by the KU student Senate Activity Fee The Friday, March 12, performance will be signed for the deal and hard of hearing. Don't miss The University Theatre's 75th Anniversary celebration on Opening Night March 5. Refreshments will be served!