The largest parliamentary debate tournament on the continent began yesterday as students from 40 colleges converged on the Harvard campus to compete for the John Harvard Cup, one of the nation's most prestigious debate trophies.

The Harvard Debating Championships, held on Columbus Day weekend for the past 16 years, have attracted more than 300 debaters from colleges around the nation this year.

Although the tournament was running behind yesterday because teams arrived late, most participants didn't seem to care.

"Harvard runs a really efficient tournament, given the size," said senior Karen R. King, president of the Yale Debate Association.

"It gives us a chance to relax and socialize with other debaters," added Yale senior Charles Duhigg, King's debate partner.

Modeled after the style of debate in the British House of Commons, parliamentary debate pits "government" resolutions against "opposition" arguments.

After each team member--two people on a side--speaks, each side's team leader is allowed one rebuttal.

Teams are informed of the topic only 10 minutes before the debate begins, forcing debaters to come up with off the cuff witticisms and arguments.

Judging is based on the presentation's clarity and content.

"Most of the debaters here are very experienced," said Chris R. Edgar, a junior at Haverford College. Harvard's best, however, will not compete, as they are hosting the event.

The Harvard Speech and Parliamentary Debate Society (HSPDS) has been planning the tournament since May, with 15 people working full time for days to pull the event together, according to HSPDS President Scott A. Chesin '98.

While the tournament is dominated by Americans, there are a few notable exceptions.

McGill generally sends a competitive contingent, and other Canadian schools also participate.

One participant, Manja Klemencic, a senior at the University of Maribor in Slovenia, has been at Harvard since last Monday.

Klemencic said she is in the U.S. for a number of weeks to attend five separate debate tournaments.

The government of Slovenia is sponsoring her trip partly because she has been working at home to help high schools establish debate societies.

"It teaches us about freedom of speech," Klemencic said, "something we never had under communism."

Preliminary rounds continue through today in the Science Center lecture halls.

The final debate begins in Lowell Hall tonight at 6:15 p.m. All events are open to the public