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+--- Thread: Why and how the text could be Bavarian (/thread-5312.html)
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - JoJo_Jost - 26-02-2026
Thank you, Stolfi, for your detailed and constructive feedback. You raise several valid points—the separation of the VMS sections, more careful filtering of labels, normalization of Hw for the sample size, and the question of p and f. All of these are improvements that make sense.
But I would like to point out that entropy analysis is really not my main area of expertise—I simply wanted to show that Bavarian is well suited as the basis for a possible absorption cipher to approximate Voynicheese.
So this was intended as a first rough comparison to see if the numbers were roughly correct, not as definitive statistical proof.
The fact that you describe the Hw result as a “match” is actually quite encouraging for my hypothesis.
As far as “unencrypted European natural language” is concerned
As I said, I'm not yet convinced by the Chinese theory, but if more evidence emerges, I may have to abandon my Bavarian theory with a smile and a tear in my eye. Until then, I'll continue a little further. Purely based on gut feeling, Bairish simply fits much better into the context of the VMS – but feeling is no proof.
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - JoJo_Jost - 28-02-2026
4. First steps towards a solution
I have now expanded the cipher – basically, I have structured it according to frequency in the original Bavarian comparison texts. A lot of tests prove that this is the form that best matches the frequency of the letters and the cipher.
The amazing thing is that the many tests I have now carried out tend to support the system rather than destroy it. This is a good indication, even if it is not proof.
A very impressive example is the EVA ‘s’, which is my search term ‘und’ (and) – one of the most common words in German.
s standing alone: 302×, at the beginning: 908×, at the end: 825×
Total s: 5.87% vs MHD and/vnd: 5.9% — almost identical
201 of 281 (72%) s-initial words also exist without s in the VMS
Result: s = and
I think it's a Brevigraph
The problem remains that the cipher leaves too many possibilities open; what I am now showing is only one of many possibilities. In addition, we still do not know the exact underlying dialect. That will be a lot of work.
Nevertheless, individual words can be recognised (bold) and a sentence structure that makes sense.
So this is what the first deciphered text (Bavarian Theorie) of the VMS looks like:
CHIFFRE
=======
ch = n/m
e = e/i
y = e / y
d = s/z/tz/ss/ß
o = o/u
a = a/o
l = l (oder r?)
r = r (oder l?)
sh = s/sch/ch
tsh = tsch
ee = eu/au/ou/ui
ai = ai/ei
t = t/d
k = w
p = f/v
f = ?
cth = b
ckh = g
cph = h
cfh = f?
o- = Artikel
qo- = Präp+Art
y- = ge/ver/be/zer
s = und
aiin/ain = en/ain/ein
m=? (here m)
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L1 tsholdchy qotchy opchear ypchedy
tscholsne in die tne (tinne) die fnear und gefnese
L2 dcheodaiin ckheody ckhody chody
sneosen (schnäuzen) geose gose nutze
L3 ydchody ckhey oty ckheodar qoky
gesnose gee ote geosar in die we
L4 daiinces okol cheody ckhy cheeey
sence und die wol (wohl) neose ge neuee
L5 tcheody qodaiin okeey qockhey taiin
tneose von dem sein die weue in die gee den
L6 ycho daiin chokaiin ykchodaiin ykald
verno sein nowen gegossen gewals und
L7 ychos ar eeckhy kcho qokchy qotal
geno und ar euge (auge) wno in die wne von dem tal
L8 oshol odaiin ckhey ckheody qokey otydy
die schol (soll) das sein gee geose von dem wee (schmerz) die tese und
L9 tol daiin daim qchodal dal qody qoetam
tol sein sam und von dem nosal sal und in die se in die etam
L10 ykchol dor shey qokeol kchey shol okam
gegol sor sey von dem weol wnee schol (soll) die wam
L11 tchodaiinoeody qokol oteodaiin kol otag
tnosenoeose und von dem wol (wohl) die teosen und wol die tag
L12 yoees ckheey kol cheeal okeor qockhey pchodal
geoeu und geue wol maual die weor in die gee fnosal und
L13 oaiin ckhol ykieol otchey cpheo daiin ykeoldy
ein gol gewieol die tnee heo sein geweolse und
L14 daiiithy qodaiin kaiiidal cphodal s al dam
senithe von dem sein wensal und hosal(hose?) und al sam und
L15 qokol cheor ckhal s or aldy otal
von dem wol neor gal und or (oder) alse die tal
a good starting point...
Addendum, I forgot to mention: What becomes clear is that the structure of the sentences, articles, conjunctions and prepositions shows that VMS can actually represent a real language with this code....
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - JoJo_Jost - 28-02-2026
Here it is in English for better understanding, and then with additional options that you wouldn't otherwise see if you don't speak German.
L1 tsholdchy qotchy opchear ypchedy
tscholsne (keyflower?) into the tinne (vessel) the fnear and gefnese
L2 dcheodaiin ckheody ckhody chody
sneosen (blow nose) geose gose nutze (apply)
L3 ydchody ckhey oty ckheodar qoky
gesnose (blown out) gee ote geosar into the we
L4 daiinces okol cheody ckhy cheeey
sence and the wol (well, probably) neose ge neuee
L5 tcheody qodaiin okeey qockhey taiin
tneose of the sein (his/its | be) the weue into the gee the
L6 ycho daiin chokaiin ykchodaiin ykald
verno sein (his/its | be) nowen gegossen (poured) gewaltz (rolled/kneaded) and
L7 ychos ar eeckhy kcho qokchy qotal
geno and ar euge (eye) wno into the wne of the tal (part)
L8 oshol odaiin ckhey ckheody qokey otydy
the schol (shall) the sein (his/its | be) gee geose of the wee (pain) the tese and
L9 tol daiin daim qchodal dal qody qoetam
tol sein (his/its | be) sam (together?) and of the nosal sal and into the se into the etam
L10 ykchol dor shey qokeol kchey shol okam
gegol sor (sour) sey (be | sei) of the weol wnee schol (shall) the wam
L11 tchodaiinoeody qokol oteodaiin kol otag
tnosenoeose and of the wol (well) the teosen and (wol, probably) the tag (day)
L12 yoees ckheey kol cheeal okeor qockhey pchodal
geoeu and geue wol (well) neual the weor into the gee fnosal and
L13 oaiin ckhol ykieol otchey cpheo daiin ykeoldy
ein (a/one) gol gewieol the tnee heo sein (his/its | be) geweolse and
L14 daiiithy qodaiin kaiiidal cphodal s al dam
senithe of the sein (his/its | be) wensal and hosal and al sam (all together) and
L15 qokol cheor ckhal s or aldy otal
of the wol (well) neor gal and or (or) alse (also) the tal (part)
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - JoJo_Jost - 28-02-2026
Exciting, I'm currently testing a new page, and logically I'm now at 52r.
The first word “tdokchcfhy” is another hapax, and we'll leave out the t again, probably a ‘t’ = “der die das” remains dokchcfhy = tzownpfe = Zaun Pfeffer = fence pepper
There is a plant called "fence garlic", which tastes like garlic and whose seeds taste like pepper. It was the poor man's pepper. It was probably also called fence pepper. Today we know it as “garlic mustard.”
And indeed, the plant has a lot of similarities. The small flowers, the slightly frayed leaves, and rhizomes.
So can we identify the plants with this cipher? Really?
And in the deciphered text, oil, vinegar (sour), and seeds seem (!) to appear, which are exactly the ingredients and instructions you would expect for a garlic mustard recipe...
I think I'll translate several texts over the next few weeks and look for more plants... I'll get back to you when I have more reliable results....
It's strange, could the VMS be so easy to solve? I still have my doubts...
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - DG97EEB - 28-02-2026
Hey JoJo,
When I look at the translation, there seems to be some wiggle room in the mappings. Have you tried doing a robust 1:1 mapping and then running it across the folio? That would really strengthen the results..
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - nablator - 28-02-2026
(28-02-2026, 10:22 PM)DG97EEB Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Have you tried doing a robust 1:1 mapping
That's not how the game is played. You're allowed to cheat in every way possible.
RE: Why and how the text could be Bavarian - JoJo_Jost - 28-02-2026
(28-02-2026, 10:26 PM)nablator Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.(28-02-2026, 10:22 PM)DG97EEB Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Have you tried doing a robust 1:1 mapping
That's not how the game is played. You're allowed to cheat in every way possible.
Unfortunately true, but that's exactly what I described from the beginning. Of course, the code could be like that, but then it wouldn't be my fault
Still, strange coincidences...
(28-02-2026, 10:22 PM)DG97EEB Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Hey JoJo,
When I look at the translation, there seems to be some wiggle room in the mappings. Have you tried doing a robust 1:1 mapping and then running it across the folio? That would really strengthen the results..
Unfortunately, the code isn't that simple...there are many variations.
But the code is described in detail—in all its variants! There are no other variants beyond these.