Relations among pattern studies?

[Torsten]

If anything I'd say it strengthens the hypothesis of a coordinated workshop environment or something similar. Despite the many differences (dialects? continuum?), the core of Voynichese is still a system which supposes some degree of coordination or at least imitation between scribes. 

The hypothesis of a coordinated workshop environment is an additional explanation. The need for such an explanation to account for the similarities therefore weakens the hypothesis. Moreover, even Davis is arguing that her hypothesis is not final and that she would refine her hypothesis if patterns within the text would contradict the hypothesis of five different scribes [see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.].

This would be like saying that two different handwritings in a legal document are by the same scribe because they use similar elongated ascenders. The correct explanation would obviously be that both scribes received similar training and worked in a similar environment.

To date, no evidence has been provided to support the hypothesis of five scribes. The details Lisa Fagin Davis uses to distinguish between five different scribes are observable not only across various scribes but also within a single folio. Additionally, Davis has refused to publish the documentation of her research. Consequently, in my view, the hypothesis of five scribes is unfounded [see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.].