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The Voynich-Ms as a concatenation of abbreviations - Helmut Winkler - 23-05-2023
The Voynich-Ms as a concattenation of Abbreviations
I came to the conclusion years ago that the ms. could not be a coded text and then began to search the shallows of medieval lore for possible alternatives.
Three things stood out: the text is almost completely legible in that sense, but makes no sense, and glyphs stand out that are clearly medieval abbreviations; moreover, the same characters and groups of characters appear again and again.
I found after some time the little-known practice of using the 'normal' medieval abbreviation system in place of a shorthand that the Middle Ages had not developed and the Tironian notes that had fallen out of use.
I came to the conclusion that it was a text written in this abbreviation system.
The text of the so-called Voynich manuscript, Beinecke 408 is a sequence of so-called words, sense units, which in turn are a sequence of abbreviations.
The script is a Gothic minuscule with the corresponding abbreviations and additional derivations probably from the Uncial.
Abbreviations
The breakthrough came when I realised that the character sequence daiin must be read differently, namely as d' aui and an abbreviation stroke, which is then clearly to be interpreted as dicit auicenna - it is actually the problem of textualis, which knows similar sequences of minims that are very difficult to read.
One then quickly notices more abbreviations
q for the relative pronoun quod EVA q
ct for caput EVA c and h
9 cum/con or ending EVA y
the two etc abbreviations, EVA g and m
Numbers
2 EVA r
5 EVA s
Litterae singulares - Gallows
The two P, EVA f and p, M EVA t and N EVA k, the meaning could be Pliny, Nat: Hist., Pandects, Mesue or Macer, (Antidotarium) Nicolai.
Marginalia
The so-called marginalia consist largely of abbreviations, the best example is 116v, primum, palden probiren, gas milch, also the so-called spell seems to contain abbreviations, I just noticed that the third a in oladabas is not an a but a con - abbreviation. 17r en seems to mean emplastrum - at least that is what the illustration suggests.
Vatican Archives
I have heard from a reliable source of B. 408 comparable noizen in the AAV, but have not yet been able to locate the original, perhaps one of the readers works there and knows more.
Atahanasius Kircher
I think that A.K. recognised and was able to read the shortening system, whether he read it is another question.
Avicenna
I suspect that the underlying text is Avicenna, Canon, book 2, herbarium, book 5 recipe part and the gynaecology of book 3, except for the astronomical part, perhaps Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos?
If my hypothesis is correct, this does not solve all the problems, of course,
on the contrary. In many cases you just have to guess what the text means and I am not at all sure that all glyphs always mean the same thing.
Conclusion
The text of the so-called Voynich Manuscript, Beinecke 408 is a sequence of so-called words, sense units, which in turn are a sequence of abbreviations.
Questions and comments welcome
Helmut Winkler
Translated with You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (free version)
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - bi3mw - 23-05-2023
I would guess that you have already tried to translate parts of the VMS with the presented "system". Can you give some examples here ?
How does your concept fit to the observation that lines could represent themselves as a functional unit ?
How would you explain multiple "word repetitions" in the text ?
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Mark Knowles - 23-05-2023
Thanks for presenting your abbreviation theory.
Yes, it would be useful to see your translation of the Voynich manuscript.
If you can provide any information about the location of the document you have heard about in the Vatican Apostolic Archives then that would help to locate it. That is an incredibly large archive so without any information as to its whereabouts I imagine it would be very hard to locate.
As you know I think the manuscript is written in cipher, but if you can produce a reliable translation I would certainly be interested in seeing it.
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Koen G - 23-05-2023
I agree that it makes sense to look at abbreviations, since the glyph set is mostly numerals, abbreviation symbols and ligatures. What I don't understand yet is how exactly this would work. Does the text reference chapters to be looked up in a regular book?
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - cvetkakocj@rogers.com - 23-05-2023
Hi, there, I found some interesting Latin text with abbreviations. Can anyone tell me what they represent.
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Koen G - 23-05-2023
Also, Helmut, what do you mean concretely with derivations from Uncial? And would those be expected in the 15th century?
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Helmut Winkler - 24-05-2023
@ bi3mw
I would guess that you have already tried to translate parts of the VMS with the presented "system". Can you give some examples here ?
Most of it is on paper, I hope I have time to spend on it in the near future
How does your concept fit to the observation that lines could represent themselves as a functional unit ?
The line is not a fuctional unit
How would you explain multiple "word repetitions" in the text ?
That is not uncommon in meieval texts, I think it is emphasis, if i means anything at all
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Helmut Winkler - 24-05-2023
(23-05-2023, 02:57 PM)Mark Knowles Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Thanks for presenting your abbreviation theory.
Yes, it would be useful to see your translation of the Voynich manuscript.
Most of it is on paper, I hope I have time to spend on it in the near future
If you can provide any information about the location of the document you have heard about in the Vatican Apostolic Archives then that would help to locate it. That is an incredibly large archive so without any information as to its whereabouts I imagine it would be very hard to locate.
It is single notes from the Avignonese chanery, collected in sone volume of misellanea, not in tje digiized regisers, an archivist who knows the time period should be able to laay his hands on it immediately
As you know I think the manuscript is written in cipher, but if you can produce a reliable translation I would certainly be interested in seeing it.
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Helmut Winkler - 24-05-2023
(23-05-2023, 03:59 PM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I agree that it makes sense to look at abbreviations, since the glyph set is mostly numerals, abbreviation symbols and ligatures. What I don't understand yet is how exactly this would work. Does the text reference chapters to be looked up in a regular book?
I think so, at least in the Herbal, the problem, of couse, is there are no chapter numbers and plant names
RE: The Voynich-Ms as a conatenation of abbreviations - Helmut Winkler - 24-05-2023
(23-05-2023, 07:20 PM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Also, Helmut, what do you mean concretely with derivations from Uncial? And would those be expected in the 15th century?
Uncial script is used in the 15th c. for initials, lombards and so on, I think he derived the gallows from USript