24-06-2025, 04:30 PM
I suppose it is much easier to say the VM text is a nonsense than to bother leaning a very complicated language spoken in Northern Italy/Southern Austria, written for the first time in the VM. Because of the nature of the language, Timm's word generating technique can generate a lot of words that are found in the VM, but it cannot generate correct grammatical and inflectional forms the VM contains. All other Timm's objections can be explained:
1. Extreme repetition: When the root words are mainly comprised of one syllable, the repetition cannot be avoided. There are many other reasons for repetition or seeming repetition.
2. Low conditional entropy - proper transliteration and transcription will increase the conditional entropy, so will adjustments from phonetic to written standardized language and expanded vocabulary.
Binomial word-length distribution - When the most common pattern of root word is consonant-vowel or consonant-vowel-consonant, and the words are formed by changing or adding a letter, there would be a lot of repetition. Also, a limited number of prefixes to form perfective verbs increases the chance that the word initial is EVA qo or o. Repetition of suffixes could be expected in highly inflectional language.
Lack of clear word order or repeated phrases: Not all languages have fixed word order. Slovenian language has most flexible word order. The regular phrases like English I give, I know, I go are indicated with a common suffix -m and unwritten pronoun. The articles, lake the gift, a day, das Buch, ein Buch - are not used, because the underlying language is not using them.
Systematic shifts from Currier A to Currier B: There are no two languages, the seeming difference is caused by subject matter that favors one words over other, and by writing mood. In English, the Language A would have more I + verb phrases, in Voynichese, it has -m suffixes and dropped pronoun. In English, language B would have more 'you + verb' phrases in Voynichese, - dy suffixes and dropped pronoun.
Context-dependent self-similarity: The language that uses different suffixes for conjugation and declination, displays a lot of similar words that differ for one or two letters only. Also, in language where words are generated by adding a letter of two as a prefix or adding a letter to existing word, will show a lot of similar words.
Deep correlation between frequency, similarity, and spatial proximity: The oral language the peasants were using was way more simplified and centered on the root words. With the progress of literacy, the vocabulary was expanded.
A single network of similar word forms: When a single syllable root can have ten or more different inflectional forms, this looks like a network of similar word. And when another word differs for only one letter, can generate ten or more inflectional forms, this increases similarity.
Random walk-like statistical behavior and long-range correlations: In the isocolonic writing, like Balkan Slavic in the 15th century, the long/range correlation is normal.
Lines function as structural units: The isocolonic writing pertains to a rhetorical prose writing, consistent of a main sentence and several lines colons related to the same subject of similar or different length, as long as each line contains the same number of stresses.
Absence of semantic categories (e.g., nouns vs. verbs): Without knowing the alphabet and the language, nor correct grammar, it is impossible to know which word is noun, verb, pronoun, etc., particularly in the languages that does not use articles.
No identifiable function words: Many one- and two-letter Voynich words are function words, and many more function words are written together with the next word in so-called word blocks, which in Slavic languages were in use up to the 16th century, while in the rest of Europe were written separately by 13th century. Not all languages use personal pronouns since they are implied with the suffixes.
No evidence of word roots: In highly inflectional languages, particularly when written phonetically, many words overlap or cause sound changes, so that it is often difficult to determine root, unless you know what which part of the word is a prefix or suffix, and how the word evolved.
No corrections or deleted sequences: An experienced writer or scribe could write without corrections.
Line-endings fit precisely into available space: This is questionable in the longer lines. When the words are short, it is easy to fit the whole word at the end of the line and continue on the next line. In poetry, the lines are usually short enough
1. Extreme repetition: When the root words are mainly comprised of one syllable, the repetition cannot be avoided. There are many other reasons for repetition or seeming repetition.
2. Low conditional entropy - proper transliteration and transcription will increase the conditional entropy, so will adjustments from phonetic to written standardized language and expanded vocabulary.
Binomial word-length distribution - When the most common pattern of root word is consonant-vowel or consonant-vowel-consonant, and the words are formed by changing or adding a letter, there would be a lot of repetition. Also, a limited number of prefixes to form perfective verbs increases the chance that the word initial is EVA qo or o. Repetition of suffixes could be expected in highly inflectional language.
Lack of clear word order or repeated phrases: Not all languages have fixed word order. Slovenian language has most flexible word order. The regular phrases like English I give, I know, I go are indicated with a common suffix -m and unwritten pronoun. The articles, lake the gift, a day, das Buch, ein Buch - are not used, because the underlying language is not using them.
Systematic shifts from Currier A to Currier B: There are no two languages, the seeming difference is caused by subject matter that favors one words over other, and by writing mood. In English, the Language A would have more I + verb phrases, in Voynichese, it has -m suffixes and dropped pronoun. In English, language B would have more 'you + verb' phrases in Voynichese, - dy suffixes and dropped pronoun.
Context-dependent self-similarity: The language that uses different suffixes for conjugation and declination, displays a lot of similar words that differ for one or two letters only. Also, in language where words are generated by adding a letter of two as a prefix or adding a letter to existing word, will show a lot of similar words.
Deep correlation between frequency, similarity, and spatial proximity: The oral language the peasants were using was way more simplified and centered on the root words. With the progress of literacy, the vocabulary was expanded.
A single network of similar word forms: When a single syllable root can have ten or more different inflectional forms, this looks like a network of similar word. And when another word differs for only one letter, can generate ten or more inflectional forms, this increases similarity.
Random walk-like statistical behavior and long-range correlations: In the isocolonic writing, like Balkan Slavic in the 15th century, the long/range correlation is normal.
Lines function as structural units: The isocolonic writing pertains to a rhetorical prose writing, consistent of a main sentence and several lines colons related to the same subject of similar or different length, as long as each line contains the same number of stresses.
Absence of semantic categories (e.g., nouns vs. verbs): Without knowing the alphabet and the language, nor correct grammar, it is impossible to know which word is noun, verb, pronoun, etc., particularly in the languages that does not use articles.
No identifiable function words: Many one- and two-letter Voynich words are function words, and many more function words are written together with the next word in so-called word blocks, which in Slavic languages were in use up to the 16th century, while in the rest of Europe were written separately by 13th century. Not all languages use personal pronouns since they are implied with the suffixes.
No evidence of word roots: In highly inflectional languages, particularly when written phonetically, many words overlap or cause sound changes, so that it is often difficult to determine root, unless you know what which part of the word is a prefix or suffix, and how the word evolved.
No corrections or deleted sequences: An experienced writer or scribe could write without corrections.
Line-endings fit precisely into available space: This is questionable in the longer lines. When the words are short, it is easy to fit the whole word at the end of the line and continue on the next line. In poetry, the lines are usually short enough