Daniel Harold Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper

Daniel Harold Rolling, also known as the Gainesville Ripper, murdered five University of Florida students in the summer of 1990. The killings terrified residents of the otherwise sleepy Southern college town and became front-page news for days on end.  After being apprehended, Rolling would be linked to three more deaths in Louisiana and would remain a figure of media curiosity until he was executed in 2006. Early Life Rolling was born on May 26, 1954, in Shreveport, La., to James and Claudia Rolling. It was an unhappy home life, Rolling would later say. His father, a Shreveport police officer, abused him from an early age, both verbally and physically. As a teen, Rolling was a poor student and worked only sporadically. He was also arrested several times for burglary. Apart from these details, little is known of Rollings early life before the murders. One incident, however, stands out. During a heated argument with his father in May of 1990, Rolling brandished a gun and shot the older man. Rolling fled. His father lost an eye and an ear but survived. Death in Gainesville The first murder took place on Aug. 24, 1990. Rolling broke into the apartment of college students Sonja Larson, 18, and  Christina Powell, 17. Both girls were asleep. He attacked Sonja first, who was asleep in her upstairs bedroom. First, he stabbed her chest, then taped her mouth, then as she struggled for her life, he stabbed her to death. He then went back downstairs and taped Christinas mouth and bound her wrists behind her back. He then cut off her clothing, raped her and stabbed her multiple times in the back, causing her death. Deciding that he wanted to leave some kind signature, he then mutilated the bodies and posed them in sexually suggestive positions and left. The next night Rolling broke into the apartment of Christa Hoyt, 18, but she was not at home. He decided to wait for her and made himself at home. When she arrived mid-morning, he crept up behind her, startling her, then attacked her, placing her in a choke-hold. After that, he taped her mouth, bound her wrists and forced her into her bedroom, where he removed her clothing, raped her, then stabbed her in the back multiple times causing her death. Then, as a way to make the scene more horrific, he sliced open her body, cut off her head and removed her nipples. When authorities arrived, they found Christas head on a bookshelf, her torso bent at the waist, on the bed and the nipples placed next to the torso. On Aug. 27, Rolling broke into the apartment of Tracy Paules and Manny Taboada, both 23. Powerfully built, Taboada was asleep in his bedroom when Rolling attacked and killed him. Hearing a struggle, Paules hurried to her roommates room. Seeing Rolling, she bolted back to her room, but he pursued her. Like his other victims, Rolling bound Paules, removed her clothing, raped her, then stabbed her in the back multiple times. Sometime later, the apartment complexs maintenance man showed up for an appointment. When no one answered at Paules and Taboadas unit, he let himself in. The sight that greeted him was so horrible that he turned and left immediately, then rushed to call the police. He later described to the police that he saw Tracys bloodied body on a towel in the hallway, with a black bag placed near the body. When police arrived five minutes later, the door was found unlocked and the bag was gone. The news media was quick to cover the murders, dubbing the killer The Gainesville Ripper. It was the beginning of the semester and thousands of students left Gainseville out fear. By Sept. 7, when Rolling was arrested in nearby Ocala on an unrelated supermarket robbery charge, the Ripper was on the front page of every newspaper. Rollings whereabouts between the time of the last murders and his arrest are only partially known. During a subsequent search of a wooded Gainesville encampment where Rolling had been living, police found evidence tying him to a recent bank robbery. They also found evidence that later would be linked to the Gainesville killings.   TheWrong Suspect The investigation into murders of the five college students led to one of seven main suspects. Edward Humphrey was 18 years old and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. During the same time that the students were murdered, Humphrey was suffering from a bipolar flareup after skipping his medication which resulted in aggressive behavior and violent outbursts. Humphrey had been living in the same apartment complex as Tracy and Manny, but he was asked to leave by the apartment manager after fighting with his roommates. He also harassed people living in the apartment complex across the street. Other similar incidents of Humphreys combative nature surfaced and investigators decided to put a surveillance team on him. On Oct. 30, 1990, he had an argument with his grandmother that grew into a physical altercation with him striking her one time. This was a gift to the police. They arrested Humphrey and had his  bail set at $1 million, even though his grandmother had dropped all charges the same day and it was his first offense. At trial, Humphrey was found guilty of assault and was sentenced to 22 months in Chattahoochee State Hospital, where he would remain until Sept. 18, 1991, when he was released. There was never any evidence found that Humphrey had anything to do with the murder. The investigation was back to square one. Confession, Trial, and Execution Rolling stood trial in early 1991 for the Ocala robbery and was convicted. He was later convicted of three burglaries committed in Tampa shortly after the Gainesville killings had occurred. Facing life in prison, Rolling confessed to the string of murders, later corroborated by DNA evidence. In June of 1992, he was officially charged.   While awaiting trial, Rolling began exhibiting odd behavior that would eventually lead to a diagnosis of mental illness. Using a fellow inmate as an intermediary, Rolling told authorities that he had multiple personalities, which he blamed for the Gainesville killings. Rolling also alluded to the unsolved 1989 murders in Shreveport of William Grissom, 55, his daughter Julie, 24, and his 8-year-old grandson Sean.   On Feb. 15, 1994, just weeks before Rollings trial for the Gainesville murders was set to begin, he  told his lawyer that he wanted to plead guilty. His lawyer warned against it, but Rolling was determined, saying he did not want to sit there while the pictures of the crime scene were shown to the jury. Rolling was sentenced to death in March and executed on Oct. 25, 2006.   Sources Cochrane, Emily, and McPherson, Jordan. All is Well: Gainesville Murder Victims Remembered After 25 Years. Alligator.org. 28 August 2015.Dean, Michelle. The True Story Behind the Horrific Murder Spree That Inspired Scream. Complex.com. 20 December 2016.Goodnough, Abby. Killer of 5 Florida Students Is Executed. NYTimes.com. 26 October 2006.Schweers, Jeff. Gainesville Student Murders: 25 Years Later. Gainesville.com. 24 August 2017.

Controlling The Borders Of The United States And Mexico

Controlling the borders of the United States and Mexico has always been a dilemma that seeks attention and needs a new, innovative way to reduce the amount of immigrants crossing the border illegally. Many attempts have been made by current presidents as well as previous presidents who have had different views from each other and are still unable to solve the hurdles of controlling the border. Mai Ngai makes the struggle known by stating that the previous attempted laws that have been put in place to solve the problem will end in another failure. She calls them inhumane and hopes to give immigrants a chance for citizenship. Although I Agree with Mae Ngai’s Idea of putting in a system that stresses the principles of flexibility and fairness, however I see faults in her view point of welcoming immigrants to the country to work. On the other hand I do not think that all immigration should be cut off entirely, as that may cause negative effects on the America’s economy. Mai Ngai mentions that the United States’ One-size-fits all† rule favors northern and western European immigration and is a restriction on densely populated countries like Mexico. If this law were to allow a higher percentage of immigrants to be documented and allowed in the United States, then negative effects would ensue in places near the border like Texas. When the population increases rapidly it will be harder for police enforcement and may cause an increase in pollution and poverty. This is something UTAShow MoreRelatedBuilding A Wall Will Not Solve The Illegal Immigrant Problem From Mexico1466 Words   |  6 Pagesthe illegal immigrant problem from Mexico. Just getting the rights to build the wall along with the cost of building the wall will present many challenges. The talks between Mexico and the United States about the wall have already begun to create a separation between the two countries. 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Operation Rio Grande continues a process put in motionRead MoreRelationship Between Mexico And Mexico1425 Words   |  6 PagesThe relationship of the United States and Mexico goes back centuries and the importance of this relationship has gained more attention over the last decade. This relationship has gained attention due to the enormous amount of problems Mexico is having economically and socially. Specifically, the relationship with Mexico is important to the safety of our nation and U.S. self-interest because of the issues with drug trafficking, gang violence, a nd immigration. These influences on our country are vitalRead MoreEssay about The Issue of Illegal Immigrants from Mexico853 Words   |  4 PagesImmigrants from Mexico One of the most controversial political issues of today is that of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Illegal immigration into the United States is a problem that should be stopped, as it is unfair to both Americans and to the people of the country from which they illegal immigrated. It is that the majority of illegal aliens residing in the United States are Mexicans. Roy Beck clarifies the situation by stating, The national consensus is that the United States should be aRead MoreCritique Of Mike Detty s Guns Across The Border1286 Words   |  6 PagesMike Detty’s Guns Across the Border: How and Why the U.S. Government Smuggled Guns into Mexico Do you believe the United States of America is capable of smuggling guns into a foreign country? In the novel â€Å"Guns Across the Border: How and Why the U.S. Government Smuggled Guns into Mexico†, written by Mike Detty, will explain the U.S. problems with smuggling guns outside the borders. â€Å"Guns Across the Border: How and Why the U.S. Government Smuggled Guns into Mexico† is based off the notes and experiencesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Living On The Border Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pagesits most basic definition, the U.S.-Mexico Border is a 2000-mile line that divides the United States and Mexico. However, those who spend their lives experiencing the concept of â€Å"the border,† acknowledge that the U.S.-Mexico Border is more than just a line. It’s an epicenter of; historical, political, social, economic, and cultural affairs that influence people on both countries. In this essay, I will be discussing the endogeneity effect between t he border and its people and how I influence thisRead MoreImmigration Problem Of Illegal Immigration1530 Words   |  7 Pagesthough. America must fix the major problem of illegal immigration before it becomes too out of hand. The existing American immigration policies fail at regulating immigration from the Mexican border due to the large amount of immigrants in America, that Mexicans think they can and still come over the border illegally, and that policy measures are not being enacted to fix the immigration problems. Illegal immigration has become a very important and difficult problem that America must mend. IllegalRead MoreIllegal Immigration1356 Words   |  6 Pagesrefuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!† Our country embraces diversity, yet one of the most controversial and debated topics in the United States is immigration. The founders of the United States were immigrants themselves, heroes that believed in equality and acceptance for all people. Immigration has and will always be a vital part of our nation’s diversity, economic stability, and rich culture. Although, in aRead MoreCounterfeit Merchandise Impact The U.s. Economy900 Words   |  4 Pageschange rules or technology to protect businesses and citizens from criminal activity on the internet. 3) Explain the concept of Smart Borders. The Smart Border concept use technology to assist the Border agents to perform their jobs by also looking at external borders. The agreements were established with the U.S and Canada in 2001 and eventually with Mexico the following year. The countries use preclearance processes and looking closer at third party national. They focus more on the low threatsRead MoreThe Issue Of Illegal Immigration1623 Words   |  7 PagesThe primary question that is asked is, â€Å"How will you deport and limit the number of illegal immigrants in the United States?† This question got me thinking, If I were in their position what would I say in response? The following essay will illustrate the ideas on illegal immigration. Facts Immigration has always been a problem ever since we put a border between the United States and Mexico. In the beginning it really was not as big of an issue that it is today. Today more that 11.3 million unauthorized

How Placebo And Reachability Bias Effect Cognition

How Placebo and Reachability Bias Effect Cognition Jennifer D. Byrd Wake Technical Community College Abstract The purpose of this paper is to identify and compare how placebo’s and reachable bias effect our cognition as a whole. Two journal articles found on the (internet) have been chosen. One being Draganich and Erdal’s (2014) experiment telling the participants how many hours they spent in REM sleep and then testing their cognition. The second one by Bar-Hillel, Peer, and Acquisti (2014) involving a coin toss and the bias of the first choice participants hear. These experiments however different, give us some insight on cognition and the mysteries of how we learn. How Placebo and Reachability Effects Cognition Introduction Cognition is a person’s ability to think, learn, and attain knowledge or information (Cherry, What Is Cognition?). In fact, you are doing it right now as you read this paper. Some papers, books, lessons, etc. are easier to understand and retain than others. Ulric Nessar has been known as the â€Å"father of cognitive psychology† since 1967 when his researched was made public on such topics as perception, problem solving, and remembering (Hyman, Remembering the Father of Cognitive Psychology). However, in my opinion the start of cognition began much earlier with Greek philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates (History of Philosophy). They started schools and groups devoted to thinking and talking about life and other

The Crucial Decade and After America 1945-1960 free essay sample

A book review on Goldmans work about the transformation of the post-World War II peace into the globalization of the Cold War. The paper sets out to prove that, while Eric Goldman is valuable as a source of details about the era, his work holds little value as an historical piece of work. It traces the life of Goldman and his writing of the work. It criticizes the lack of objectivity in the work and explains the reasons for this lack. It looks at the disparity in writing style of the work and concludes by evaluating the works value as a whole. As far as the relevancy to his subject matter, it is difficult to find fault in Goldmans work. He does not wander from the topic and his work is very focused. His intent was to give an overview of the events that shaped the cold War. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crucial Decade and After: America 1945-1960 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He has access to many first person accounts of conversations and letters written at the time, which other historians could only dream about. He knows little know facts and stories, some of which he witnessed with his own eyes. His coverage of the topic is thorough and complete.

White Elephants Essay Example For Students

White Elephants Essay The short story Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway is comparable to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber. Both authors use a wide array of techniques in order to develop the complicated relationship between the characters in the story. In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Thurber talks about a character, Mitty, that attempts to escape from his controlling, manipulative, and annoying wife by daydreaming. Conversely, in Hills Like White Elephants Hemingway discusses the relationship of an unacquainted, peculiar, and alcoholic couple that faces a tough decision on abortion, but keep finding distraction in order to run away from the decision. In essence, Thurber and Hemingway discuss the same concepts of relationship difficulties; and in order to develop these ideas they use strong visual imagery, powerful diction, pathos, and outstanding symbols that describe the story better than explicit description. Ultimately, it has the effect of creating ambiguity and therefore, engaging the reader into the story. We will write a custom essay on White Elephants specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Both Hemingway and Thurber start their short story without any context, rather with a strong display of visual imagery, responsible for giving a hidden summary. For instance, in Hills Like White Elephants it is possible to deduce that Hemingway attempted to make the setting a summary of the story itself. Particularly, when Hemingway communicates that the characters are located in between two lines of rails in the sun (Hemingway 170). Hemingway illustrates the characters dilemma of having two options through the image of the two lines of rails. Finally, the sun is mentioned, creating an image of a place that is hot and therefore hard to concentrate as will happen during the characters argument. Similarly, in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Thurber makes the effective decision of introducing Mitty as having a thin ice breaking, voice and wearing a full- dress uniform with heavily braided white cap pulled down rakishly (Thurber 545). The emphasis on the description of Mitty during his daydream is vital because it creates an image that both serves to show what he aspires to be, as well as presents foreshadowing for Mittys constant dreams with his authoritative self. On the whole, the usage of visual imagery ends up smoothly and indirectly giving a summary of the story. Later, as the story progresses the authors start to use other techniques in order to show the type of relationship that exists between the characters. In order to portray the troublesome relationships between the characters in the stories the authors use powerful hostile diction during their conversations. In Hills Like White Elephants, it is possible to note the harsh tone among characters when the man says, Just because you say I wouldnt have doesnt prove anything (Hemingway 171). The diction of the phrase, doesnt prove anything is the strongest example of diction because in that moment it becomes clear the mans distrust for the woman, and the bases for their dysfunctional relationship. Nevertheless, in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Thurber uses the same techniques, like when Mitty says that his own wife seemed grossly unfamiliar (Thurber 545). The unsympathetic words grossly unfamiliar serve the effect of showing Mittys disproval of his wifes actions and attitude towards him. Hence, it becomes possible to affirm that both of the authors use subtle words in the characters conversation, allowing readers to get to the sense that the characters have a wearisome relationship. The authors also use those carefully placed words in order to show how persuasive the other characters can be. In both of the short stories the authors use, negative connotation and pathos in the dialogues between characters in order to better transmit the idea that persuasion can often lead to problems among people. In Hills Like White Elephants the man tries to persuade the girl that if she has the abortion, than it will be perfectly natural (Hemingway 171). The connotation of the word natural in the sentence suggests he will not have any connection to her, that he will be able to move on. This is his motivation, and why girl is so terrified about having it. Additionally, in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty when Mittys wife says, You re not a young man any longer(Thurber 545). The connotation of the word younger functions to state that Mitty is no longer a vigorous man; he has lost his manhood. .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 , .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .postImageUrl , .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 , .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:hover , .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:visited , .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:active { border:0!important; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:active , .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164 .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u77a090cc009f43a506d801494ed04164:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Literary Analysis of Masque of the Red Death EssayThe authors use pathos and diction, as a way of showing how Mittys wife and the man persuade the others of something they believe is morally correct. Lastly, the authors choice of diction has the effect of emphasizing the aggressive tone during the persuasion and appealing to the characters emotions. The use of negative connotation will justify the characters attitudes later on, of trying to avoid their problems. Both authors use cautiously placed symbols in order to show the characters avoiding their problems. In the story Hills Like White Elephants the characters find themselves in the midst of a discussion related to abortion. However, they are not able to come to an agreement because the train arrives, and they are forced to up the two bags and them around the station (Hemingway 173). That moment highlights clearly that the two bags become a symbol for the decision because even though they have been saved from making the decision they are still forced to have their baggage with them. Likewise, in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Mitty sees himself the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful(Thurber 550). This description reveals that Thurber used the firing squad as a symbol for the solution of Mittys problems, which would be death, even if it is only a psychological one. Therefore, it becomes clear through the well-placed symbols, of bags and firing squad that the characters problems need to be faced. Both Thurber and Hemingway effectively use strong visual imagery, powerful diction, pathos, and outstanding symbols to transmit their ideas, about, for example, that if avoided problems will always haunt people and in particular, troublesome relationships. Ultimately, the main reason for the success of both Hemingway and Thurber was the fact that they were showing the stories rather than just telling it. This, technique allow the story to be more intriguing and engaging since it creates ambiguity and therefore leave room for different interpretations of the works. Ambiguity is important because it permits the reader to draw several different conclusions from the same excerpt and at the same time the author to communicate several different themes.

Free Essays on Networking

Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) By: Michael Johnson VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL (VoIP) INTRODUCTION: In the eyes of most, all packets are created equal. One of the most active areas of telecommunications today is in the area of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The logic behind this trend makes perfect sense. If we have invested heavily in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, why can’t we make full use of it? This is a question posed by many managers and Information Technology (IT) professionals in a wide range of businesses. Many businesses would prefer to have one network in and out of their business for reasons ranging from cost effectiveness to manageability. IP telephony offers a promise of consolidation. This will allow an enterprise to converge its traditional phone system and newer data network for greater efficiency. Arieh Dranger, president of neXTel Systems LLC says, â€Å"I don’t think it’s a question of whether we need VoIP, but when it will come together, because it represents a natural progress o f integrating data- period. The IP protocol is probably the most efficient at combining a universal communications network.† Basically, IP telephony is taking the telecom world by storm. It has evolved from a little known and used application in 1995 to an application that is poised for global adoption. But as with all technology, there is a price to be paid, and several entities vying for a piece of the pie. WHAT IS VoIP and HOW DOES IT WORK? To put it simply, VoIP means Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology that allows network managers to route phone call over the network they use for data transmission. A voice travels over a corporate Intranet or the Internet instead of the public telephone system. Special gateways installed at both the sending and receiving end of a communications channel converts voice to IP packets and back again to voice. This process must take place in a time frame of less than... Free Essays on Networking Free Essays on Networking Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) By: Michael Johnson VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL (VoIP) INTRODUCTION: In the eyes of most, all packets are created equal. One of the most active areas of telecommunications today is in the area of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The logic behind this trend makes perfect sense. If we have invested heavily in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, why can’t we make full use of it? This is a question posed by many managers and Information Technology (IT) professionals in a wide range of businesses. Many businesses would prefer to have one network in and out of their business for reasons ranging from cost effectiveness to manageability. IP telephony offers a promise of consolidation. This will allow an enterprise to converge its traditional phone system and newer data network for greater efficiency. Arieh Dranger, president of neXTel Systems LLC says, â€Å"I don’t think it’s a question of whether we need VoIP, but when it will come together, because it represents a natural progress o f integrating data- period. The IP protocol is probably the most efficient at combining a universal communications network.† Basically, IP telephony is taking the telecom world by storm. It has evolved from a little known and used application in 1995 to an application that is poised for global adoption. But as with all technology, there is a price to be paid, and several entities vying for a piece of the pie. WHAT IS VoIP and HOW DOES IT WORK? To put it simply, VoIP means Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology that allows network managers to route phone call over the network they use for data transmission. A voice travels over a corporate Intranet or the Internet instead of the public telephone system. Special gateways installed at both the sending and receiving end of a communications channel converts voice to IP packets and back again to voice. This process must take place in a time frame of less than...

Learning About German Dialects

Learning About German Dialects Youre not always going to hear  Hochdeutsch German-learners who step off the plane in Austria, Germany, or Switzerland for the first time are in for a shock if they know nothing about  German dialects. Although standard German (Hochdeutsch) is widespread and commonly used in typical business or tourist situations, there always comes a time when you suddenly cant understand a word, even if your German is pretty good. When that happens, it usually means you have encountered one of the many dialects of German. (Estimates on the number of German dialects vary, but range from about 50 to 250. The large discrepancy has to do with the difficulty in defining the term dialect.) This is a perfectly understandable phenomenon if you realize that in the early middle ages in what is now the German-speaking part of Europe there existed ONLY the many different dialects of the various Germanic tribes. There was no common German language until much later. In fact, the first common language, Latin, was introduced by the Roman incursions into the Germanic region, and one can see the result in German words like  Kaiser  (emperor, from Caesar) and  Student. This linguistic patchwork also has a political parallel: there was no country known as Germany until 1871, much later than most of the other European nation-states. However, the German-speaking part of Europe does not always coincide with current political borders. In parts of eastern France in the region known as Elsace-Lorraine (Elsaß) a German dialect known as Alsatian (Elsssisch) is still spoken today. Linguists divide the variations of German and other languages into three main categories:Dialekt/Mundart  (dialect),  Umgangssprache  (idiomatic language, local usage), and Hochsprache/Hochdeutsch  (standard German). But even linguists disagree about the precise borderlines between each category. Dialects exist almost exclusively in spoken form (despite transliteration for research and cultural reasons), making it difficult to pin down where one dialect ends and another begins. The Germanic word for dialect,  Mundart,  emphasizes the word of mouth quality of a dialect (Mund   mouth). Linguists may disagree on a precise definition of just what a dialect is, but anyone who has heard the  Plattdeutsch  spoken in the north or the  Bairisch  spoken in the south knows what a dialect is. Anyone who has spent more than a day in German Switzerland knows that the spoken language,Schwyzerdytsch,  is quite different from the  Hochdeutsch  seen in Swiss newspapers such as the  Neue Zà ¼rcher Zeitung  . All educated speakers of German learn  Hochdeutsch  or standard German. That standard German may come in various flavors or accents (which is not the same thing as a dialect).  Austrian German, Swiss (standard) German, or the  Hochdeutsch  heard in Hamburg versus that heard in Munich may have a slightly different sound, but everyone can understand each other. Newspapers, books, and other publications from Hamburg to Vienna all display the same language, despite minor regional variations. (There are fewer differences than those between British and American English.) One way to define dialects is to compare which words are used for the same thing. For example, the common word for mosquito in German may take any of the following forms in various German dialects/regions:  Gelse, Moskito, Mugge, Mà ¼cke, Schnake, Staunze.  Not only that, but the same word may take on a different meaning, depending on where you are.  Eine (Stech-) Mà ¼cke  in northern Germany is a mosquito. In parts of Austria the same word refers to a gnat or house fly, while  Gelsen  are mosquitos. In fact, there is no one universal term for some German words. A jelly-filled doughnut is called by three different German names, not counting other dialectical variations.Berliner, Krapfen  and  Pfannkuchen  all mean doughnut. But a  Pfannkuchen  in southern Germany is a pancake or crepe. In Berlin the same word refers to a doughnut, while in Hamburg a doughnut is a  Berliner. In the next part of this feature, well look more closely at the six major German dialect branches that extend from the German-Danish border south to Switzerland and  Austria, including a German dialect map. Youll also find some interesting related links for German dialects. German Dialects If you spend any time in almost any part of the German  Sprachraum  (language area) you will come into contact with a local dialect or idiom. In some cases, knowing the local form of German can be a matter of survival, while in others its more a matter of colorful fun. Below we briefly outline the six major German dialect branches-running generally from north to south. All are subdivided into more variations within each branch. Friesisch (Frisian) Frisian is spoken in the north of Germany along the North Sea coast. North Frisian is located just south of the border with Denmark. West Frisian extends into modern Holland, while East Frisian is spoken north of Bremen along the coast and, logically enough in the North and East Frisian islands just off the coast. Niederdeutsch (Low German/Plattdeutsch) Low German (also called Netherlandic or Plattdeutsch) gets its name from the geographic fact that the land is low (nether,  nieder; flat,  platt). It extends from the Dutch border eastward to the former German territories of Eastern Pommerania and East Prussia. It is divided into many variations including: Northern Lower Saxon, Westphalian, Eastphalian, Brandenburgian, East Pommeranian, Mecklenburgian, etc. This dialect often more closely resembles English (to which it is related) than standard German. Mitteldeutsch (Middle German) The Middle German region stretches across Germanys middle from Luxembourg (where the Letztebuergisch sub-dialect of  Mitteldeutsch  is spoken) eastward into present-day Poland and the region of Silesia (Schlesien). There are too many sub-dialects to list here, but the main division is between West Middle German and East Middle German. Frnkisch (Frankish) The East Frankish dialect is spoken along Germanys Main river pretty much in Germanys very center. Forms such as South Frankish and Rhine Frankish extend northwesterly towards the Moselle river. Alemannisch (Alemannic) Spoken in Switzerland north along the Rhine, extending farther north from Basel to Freiburg and almost to the city of Karlsruhe in Germany, this dialect is divided into Alsatian (west along the Rhine in todays France), Swabian, Low and High Alemannic. The Swiss form of Alemannic has become an important standard spoken language in that country, in addition to  Hochdeutsch, but it is also divided into two main forms (Bern and Zurich). Bairisch-Ãâ€"sterreichisch (Bavarian-Austrian) Because the Bavarian-Austrian region was more unified politically-for over a thousand years-it is also more linguistically uniform than the German north. There are some subdivisions (South, Middle, and North Bavarian, Tyrolian, Salzburgian), but the differences are not very significant.   Note: The word  Bairisch  refers to the language, while the adjective  bayrisch  or  bayerisch  refers to  Bayern  (Bavaria) the place, as in  der Bayerische Wald, the Bavarian Forest.