The Voynich Ninja

An apostrophe with a bench can be written at the beginning of the crossbar (FIG. 1), at the end of the crossbar (3), in the middle without touching the bar (8), with the touch of the bar (9) and when the apostrophe is a continuation of the symbol "e" (2, 6, 7).
On examples 2, 6, 7 the order of writing strokes is "e" + '+ "h". As I stated earlier, the left side of this bench is similar to "b-EVA". I refer to these examples and Fig. 28, only here the clerk attached "h" at once to "b" and not to vehin "e". Almost all the apostrophes that break through the bench bend I qualify as "b", since I did not meet the punched apostrophe in the benches with the left "i".
Such an order of writing / reading is unacceptable for cases 1, 3, 8, 9, if we consider the decomposition of an ordinary bench and a bench in which the left foot is an "i". (they should be made according to a single principle).
Based on the quality of the ink, the order of writing example 10 is: :  ‘ + “-“ + “e” + “h”.
 
Example 11: "i" + "-" + '+ "h"
If we proceed from the fact that different syvols [font=Tahoma, sans-serif]are used as the upper index over the bench (double apostrophe (4), apostrophe + ")" (5), "l-eva" (12, 13, 14) , and its size is comparable with the size of  label of the "paint colors" (17), a circle (18, 19), a horizontal bar (20), an "e-eva" (21), a comma (23), a "color of the paint color", "u-eva" (15), "s-eva" , the point (24), the vertical line (25), the code 192 v101 (22,26), and also take note of the simultaneous writing of the apostrophe and the gallows (16)), [/font]I make the assumption that the apostrophe is an independent letter (phoneme), similarly to that in Latin in the upper reg and the symbols ~ = "a", and the symbol ∽ = "r" (sometimes with an additional tail like "n-eva").
I also admit, that the gallows it's possible be considered as the upper index (27). 
[font=Tahoma, sans-serif][attachment=2265][/font]
 

Thanks Wladimir, that's an excellent review!

Wladimir: on 2, 6, 7, how can you be sure of the stroke writing order? If it's the quality of the ink, would it be possible to generally state the writing order of Sh?

Also, for 12, 13, 14, how can we know these are examples of l and not extreme examples of the normal topstroke? They all appear to be a single stroke to me, whereas l is two strokes.

Wladimir, those are good examples.

I have some too, but not enough free time to gather them up and post them, and your collection is good—it illustrates the various forms...

In #1, the first is like EVA-s, in #5, the second one is like EVA-s, and in #2, #6, etc. it is attached to the foot. That's exactly what I was trying to describe in Post #10. Thank you for posting them.


Some more details about this (I keep trying to blog about this and can't find enough time to do  it properly, so here's the quicky version)...

Notice how the apostrophe looks like EVA-l in pics 12, 13, and 14?

The EVA-l shape served two purposes in the late 14th century and the 15th century...

• It stood for the number 4 (it superseded the Roman numeral IV) and it represented the "er/re/ir/ri/r" apostrophe (whichever one fits the word).
  
• If it was a number it was usually written in-line with the text. If it was superscripted it was usually an apostrophe.
  

This is IMPORTANT because this particular macron shape is an older form that had mostly disappeared by the 15th century. When it is drawn like EVA-l it is the early form of the "squiggle" (the apostrophe that looks like smoke). By the 15th century, most scribes were drawing this particular apostrophe like a smoke shape (or lightening bolt) instead of like EVA-l, and most scribes used it to mean er/re/ir/re or just plain r.

Here's a diagram with a few examples I was able to grab quickly (I have many more):




Some scribes didn't make a big distinction between differently-shaped macrons, they all look like "caps" (quick and messy) but those who were methodical usually used the straight macron for "n" or "m" and the EVA-l or "squiggle" macron for er/re/ir/ri/r. In other words, they did use a specific shape more often in one situation than another.

In Wladimir's example #2 it's clear that the whole b shape was written in a single pass, most probably counter-clockwise. The line thickness as it varies along the glyph suggests that. For other examples, it's not that easy to tell. Вut the fact that im many cases the bottom tip of the apostrophe (or the imaginary continuation of the apostrophe) perfectly joins the tip of the "e" makes one re-think the whole concept.

Wladimir's examples also reinforce the hypothesis that we discussed more than once - that, in Voynichese glyph construction, attachment point matters.

Is Tony Gaffney on the forum? Emma's question reminds me of Tony's theory that the text was created by first writing a bunch of "c" glyphs at random places all over the folio, then going back and adding macrons to combine some of them, as well as adding other pseudo-random glyphs to fill out some of the space. 

A tough theory to dismiss!

I should have been more clear when I said the shapes are all over the place (but the attachment points seem very deliberate).


When I said the shapes are all over the place, I meant within each kind of macron. For example, the "cap" style can be drawn many different ways and still has the same general interpretation. The "9" style of macron can also be drawn many different ways and still mean the same thing.

But... what I wasn't clear about (I hope the illustration above helps show this)... there are several forms of macron and they are pretty much all represented in the VMS, and not only on EVA-sh, they are associated  with other glyphs as well. For example, there are straight macrons over some of the 4o characters. I'll add another diagram to this post in a few minutes...

Okay, here's a quick rearrangement that shows the different kinds of macrons illustrated by the above clips. This might make it easier to see what is a pen variation and what is a meaningful variation:



I don't know what the shapes signify in the VMS, but they are common abbreviation symbols in Latin-language manuscripts.

Emma May Smith
I will support Anton regarding writing [font=Eva]b in Fig. 2. The same can be said about the new drawings 29, 30. [/font]Writing "eva-l" without removing the pen from the parchment can be explained by the fact that the font height in the upper case is less. And if you touch the pen twice in one place, you can leave a blot on the loop. In the Russian alphabet there is the letter "Я", which I'm writing without taking my pen off the paper, like "eva-l" in the upper index.
Note that the "o" (circle) on 18 and 19 is also drawn without taking your hands off.
The circle can be not only above the bench (34, 35).
ANTON
Wladimir's examples also reinforce the hypothesis that we discussed more than once - that, in Voynichese glyph construction, attachment point matters.
I think that the long apostrophe that is stitched through the bench and the apostrophe above the bench is a different symbol. Look at Fig. 33, where at the same time a long apostle is drawn for [font=Eva]b and a short apostrophe (blue arrow). A long apostrophe is also used in "eva-n".[/font]
Figures 31 and 32 have strange thin lines, which can be regarded as a clue. In Fig. 31 "o" refers to the crossbar of the bench bench. In Fig. 32 "o" refers to the first "eva-e".
[attachment=2267]

Ha, 32 and 33 are very curious indeed!

Just my humble opinion from looking at thousands and thousands of manuscripts and collecting more than 2,000 examples of the letter "d", but I don't think anyone would ever write a "d" like this (like the footed apostrophe) in the Middle Ages (even if they were trying to hide it)... the flow and shape, the extra curl to the left and down, are just wrong.

I think it's attached that way for another reason.


I'm not completely rejecting the idea because I think it's good to have as many ideas on the table as possible (and maybe it will turn out to be right), but I think there are other explanations that fit better.