31-12-2025, 02:11 PM
(This post was last modified: 31-12-2025, 02:13 PM by PeteClifford.)
I was referring specifically to this bit:
Just because <aiin> is transliterated in EVA using what, in English and other human languages, are 3 vowels and 1 consonant, we can't assume that's what the glyphs actually represent, phonologically.
In relation to the general proposition that the contents of the manuscript comprise, to some extent or another, a set of incantations, I can actually see a lot of merit in this idea, especially in the context of the excellent work Koen has done on understanding the mixed plain text/Voynichese on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). Some kind of mystical, incantatory mumbo jumbo using repetition and alliteration might help explain some - but not all - of the linguistic and statistical idiosyncrasies of Voynichese. I think further study of the customary structure of charms and incantations is well worth pursuing to see if any other parallels can be discerned.
I would be especially interested to know, for example, if there is anything special about the preamble to this kind of text, anything for example that might explain the preponderance of gallows glyphs (especially <p> and <f>) in the first lines of paragraphs (as explained in Tavi's talk here You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). If these were restricted to word-initial position, I might be inclined to speculate that they were some kind of instruction to the person performing the charm. For example, if, perhaps, the cross symbols seen in f116v indicate that the sign of the cross should be made at that point during the speaking of the words of the charm, then could <p> in the top lines mark something similar? But the appearance of <p> and <f> in medial position in top-line words makes me doubt that idea.
Quote:aiam: three vowels, one consonant, slightly variable: (aiam / ayam / ayan / aion)
This is reminiscent of aiin, also three vowels and variations: aiin daiin otaiin okaiin
Just because <aiin> is transliterated in EVA using what, in English and other human languages, are 3 vowels and 1 consonant, we can't assume that's what the glyphs actually represent, phonologically.
In relation to the general proposition that the contents of the manuscript comprise, to some extent or another, a set of incantations, I can actually see a lot of merit in this idea, especially in the context of the excellent work Koen has done on understanding the mixed plain text/Voynichese on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. (see You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). Some kind of mystical, incantatory mumbo jumbo using repetition and alliteration might help explain some - but not all - of the linguistic and statistical idiosyncrasies of Voynichese. I think further study of the customary structure of charms and incantations is well worth pursuing to see if any other parallels can be discerned.
I would be especially interested to know, for example, if there is anything special about the preamble to this kind of text, anything for example that might explain the preponderance of gallows glyphs (especially <p> and <f>) in the first lines of paragraphs (as explained in Tavi's talk here You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). If these were restricted to word-initial position, I might be inclined to speculate that they were some kind of instruction to the person performing the charm. For example, if, perhaps, the cross symbols seen in f116v indicate that the sign of the cross should be made at that point during the speaking of the words of the charm, then could <p> in the top lines mark something similar? But the appearance of <p> and <f> in medial position in top-line words makes me doubt that idea.