The banter of Glasgow's notorious Gorbals district is to be turned into a work of art at a new development in the area.

Software experts from Edinburgh University are setting up programs that will allow computers to talk to each other across the courtyard of a new scheme to regenerate the area.

The computers will be able to respond to each other, recreating an argument in the Gorbals accent.

London artist David Cotterrell said the area was changing rapidly and the installation is a way of keeping the distinctive dialect alive.

The banter and the wit - was probably one of the sources of pride

Artist David Cotterrell

He said: "Local community groups discussed the various things that people felt proud of and one of the things that came through was the language of the Gorbals.

"The banter and the wit was probably one of the sources of pride.

"So we have designed a system where computers would attempt to engage in a conversation, speaking with the local Gorbals accent and using much of the vocabulary which is currently unique to the area."

The commercial use of voice-synthesis technology has been mainly focussed on mainstream accents before this project.

Dr Simon King, of Edinburgh University's Centre for Speech Technology Research, said he was pleased to have the opportunity to work on a stronger accent.

The Gatekeeper

He said: "It is going to be more difficult than doing standard accents. It is going to take us further away from received pronunciation or standard American.

"It is going to test our theories and see if they break down when we test them to the limit."

The latest scheme is one of six being funded by housing developers as part of an agreement to spend a small proportion of their budget on public art.

A large piece of public art, The Gatekeeper, was unveiled earlier this year with the completion of the massive Crown Street Regeneration Scheme.

The piece was commissioned by housing developer Redrow, which financed the project under the Percent for Arts Scheme.

The Gorbals dialect installation is part of a Miller Homes scheme due to be completed in early 2004.