Here I present a study of some of the patterns of LINES by employing a simple method of parsing.
It follows directly on from my recent investigations into a Vord Paradigm. This is an extension of the same direction of research, but now applied to the LINE as a unit or container of text.
The method is:
Vords in the line are examined, in sequence, according to whether their initial glyph is a consonant or a vowel.
We mark a separator (break) where the sequence changes so as to group common initial-glyph vords together.
For example:
<f105r.P2.28;H>
oees.olkeedy.qockhy.raiin.chol.okair.oteedy.qopchedy.odaiin.ypchedy.ykam-
Some vords start with a vowel, some with a consonant. We mark a division in the sequence where this changes.
This line is divided thus:
oees.olkeedy.[BREAK] qockhy.raiin.chol. [BREAK] okair.oteedy. [BREAK] qopchedy. [BREAK] odaiin.ypchedy.ykam-
The pattern of initial glyphs in this line is therefore:
VV - CCC - VV - C - VVV
We depict the line thus divided up with breaks as:
oees.olkeedy.
qockhy.raiin.chol.
okair.oteedy.
qopchedy.
odaiin.ypchedy.ykam-
One of the virtues of the method is that the divisions made to a line of text are easy to see and (generally) incontestable in themelves.
* * *
The assumption of this approach is that the vowel/consonant distinction is an important organizing principle at many levels. In the absence of any obvious syntax, how else might we consider the assembly of vords in lines?
To be honest, I can’t find a better way to divide lines up into parts.
This mode of parsing is at least not unnatural and is suggested by the habits of the text.
It is a common observation that similar vords can run in clusters in lines. This method draws out such clusters on the basis of the status of initial glyph. We find clusters (runs) or patterns based on initial vowel or consonant.
Consider this cluster from pg 58r:
oteeoaly.otar.alkar.or.aldar=
This is not a cluster of [o-] vords, it is, more exactly, a cluster of vowel-initial vords. We often see this. Most often among vowels we see clusters of [o] initial vords, but often other vowels will be included in the sequence such that the basis for the cluster seems to be the category ‘vowel-initial vords.’
Clusters of consonant-initial vords are very common.
I am not making claims about the nature and function of lines, except to say that they are discrete collections of vords. We may or may not understand them as ‘sentences’.
This method is one way of looking at these collections and making them more manageable. Much is made of LAFU: line as “functional unit.” Perhaps. But in the first instance these collections of vords have patterns. The purpose of the method is to assist the study of line patterns.
* * *
The patterns to be observed when a line is parsed in this way fall between two extremes.
Firstly, there are a great many lines with entirely consonant-initial vords.
Examples:
<f66v.P.4;H>
shokeshy.daiin.cheos.shky.dol.shckhy.dal.kodal.chekal.dal-
<f82r.P2.19;H>
posalshy.qokedy.cphal.shedy.sheol.keeedy.lkaiin.shedy.qoly-
There are cases of lines entirely of vowel-initial vords, but they are far less common. The first is on pg. 19v:
<f19v.P.12;H>
yees.ykchol.oty.ytor.ytar.ytchor.ytaiin=
We might call these lines, FULL CLUSTERS, the whole line being a collection (cluster) of either consonant-initial or vowel-initial vords.
At the opposite extreme to FULL CLUSTER lines are lines where one vord after another alternates between vowel-initial and consonant-initial vords, CVCVCV. FULLY ALTERNATING lines are relatively rare. Here is one from page 16r:
<f16r.P2.6;H>
oshaiin.
dyky.
oeees.
deeeod.
aiin.
dtoaiin-
We see that this alternation is based on the consonant/vowel combination [od]. It goes: o.d.o.d.a.d. The more common alternation is: q.o.q.o.qo.
More commonly, lines approximate the strict CVCVCV alternation. This line, for example, only deviates slightly:
<f70r2.I.1;H>
otchsy.ol.
shy.
oteo.
sal.
ol.
keey.
oteol.
choky.
otchoshy.
Another example:
<f104r.P.16;H>
ocheoithey.
qoctheody.
ykeeodey.
qoepchy.
opchey.
qoty.shtey.
yteedy.
shody-
Lines can be assessed in these terms, namely how near they are to strict alternating sequence.
Again: the opposite of the alternating sequence is the CLUSTER. Lines can be described as either alternating or clustering, flowing or clumping. Most lines are a mixture of both tendencies.
Consider this line, for instance:
<f103v.P.25;H>
sain.
olkeeey.
qokan.
oteedy.
qotain.
otal.oty.opar.aram.oteeam-
It is an alternating CVCVCV line with the initial-glyph pattern s.o.q.o.q.o but with a vowel-initial cluster at the end.
Here is the opposite, a consonant-initial cluster followed by an alternating CVCV sequence:
<f107r.P.4;H>
teeody.chedain.qoteey.qokar.deeo.ltedy.
otar.ain.
chady.
otokcho.
qoked.
okchedy-
Or this example:
<f44r.P.10;H>
qokchor.
okchy.
qoto.
ykol.
choky.choky.chol.dam-
Here, the alternating flow of CVCV is broken at the end of the line with a cluster of consonant-initial vords.
In many cases, though, vords seem lacking in alternation and are rather groups of clusters – the clustering tendency dominates the line. This line for example:
<f105r.P2.28;H>
oees.olkeedy.
qockhy.raiin.chol.
okair.oteedy.
qopchedy.
odaiin.ypchedy.ykam-
* * *
I propose that strict alternation CVCVCV is, in fact, the paradigmatic formation, with the two initial glyphs of the Vord Paradigm QOKEEDY alternating, thus:
q-
o-
q-
o-
q-
o-
Indeed, we can posit a LINE PARADIGM that is a direct extension of our VORD PARADIGM.
The implications of this will be considered elsewhere. Such a model opens many possibilities as a tool.
* * *
To continue the exposition though:
A minimum deviation from the static FULLY CLUSTERED line is either the PREFIXED or the SUFFIXED line. Sometimes, a deviating vord appears before or after an otherwise full cluster.
Here is a PREFIXED line on page 18:
<f18r.P.7;H>
oshor.
shaiin.cthy.sholdy.doldy.doldaiin-
And another on page 47:
<f47v.P.11;H>
oteey.
cho.chdy.chy.key.chyky-dchy.daiin.chy-
Here is a SUFFIXED line on p. 24v:
<f24v.P.3;H>
octhol.odchees.oesearees.okam.
chcth-
* * *
As well as vords prefixing or suffixing clusters, there is also the INTRUSION. This is where a deviating vord intrudes into what is otherwise a fully clustered line.
Here is a case:
<f42r.P3.20;H>
shol.chol.shoky.
okol.
sho.chol.chol.chal-
And another:
<f22r.P.3;H>
qokol.dykaiin.
okchy.
daiin.cthol.ctholo.dar.shain=
And two more from p. 102r2.
<f102r2.P.8;H>
shockhy.qockhey.sol.
eeey.
dol.cheol.doaiin.qkeeey.cthey-
<f102v2.P1.1;H>
podeesho.
oteeos.
sheos.qokeeo.chckhhy.shkeey.chekeod-
* * *
As well as this there is also what I will call BRACKETING. This is where there is both a prefixing and a suffixing vord and they serve to BRACKET a cluster. It is different from an INTRUSION.
There are plenty of examples, usually with two vowel-initial vords bracketing a consonant-initial cluster:
<f3r.P.12;H>
okadaiin.
qokchor.qoschodam.
octhy-
<f3v.P.10;H>
ochor.
daiin.qokshol.daiim.chol.
okary-
<f5r.P.2;H>
ochey.okey.
qokaiin.sho.ckhoy.cthey.chey.
oka*or.otol-
<f21v.P.5;H>
osho.
deey.ctho.l.sho.cthy.daiin.dait.
oky-
<f28r.P.5;H>
oksho.otor.
chy.kchoror.chodaiin-sho.cthody.
okoy-
Here is a case where the vowel-initial cluster is bracketed:
<f40v.P.15;H>
qokchey.qody.
or.aiiin.okaiin.o.
ckhy-sheod.faimy-
We could also report cases of INTERNAL BRACKETING:
<f108r.P.6;H>
ol.
cheol.qo.qokeey.qokeey.qokeedy.sheoky.
otedy.
qotey.qokchey.chdar.
aiin.y-
* * *
Sundry other interesting things emerge. Consider the SYMMETRY of this line, for example:
<f112v.P.2;H>
oar.osal.okeeshy.
qokeey.
okain.
qokal.
okeol.oty.oraiin-
This parsing of lines reveals a certain order of symmetries.
Look at how this cluster of [sh] vords is bracketed:
<f44v.P.4;H>
yokalod.
shaiin.shor.shorody.shky.sho.
ytchy.opchod.opy-
And in some cases the clusters get progressively smaller as the line proceeds:
<f108v.P.20;H>
polkeedal.sheo.kchey.lotedaiin.
otedy.opchedaiin.otshedy.
qotey.raiin.
ol-
* * *
This quite straightforward method allows us to take any line of Voynich text and describe some of its properties. We can classify them and describe them with a set of consistent criteria. For a start, they are alternating or clustering. Or prefixed, or suffixed, or bracketed, and so on.
We might describe the following line as ‘Alternating with a final V-cluster.’
<f103v.P.25;H>
sain.
olkeeey.
qokan.
oteedy.
qotain.
otal.oty.opar.aram.oteeam-
Or this as ‘Alternating with an initial C-Cluster’:
<f107r.P.4;H>
teeody.chedain.qoteey.qokar.deeo.ltedy.
otar.ain.
chady.
otokcho.
qoked.
okchedy-
This is a case of an alternating sequence being bracketed by two C-Clusters:
<f111r.P.29;H>
salkeedy.lkeedy.chckhy.rky.chey.
okeeo.
chr.
al.ar.
qokeedy.qokedy.qoteedy.qod-
* * *
Just as consonant/vowel alternation (CVCVCV) is a structural foundation of the default vord QOKEEDY, so it is structural to lines. We expose this by the simple device of following where vords alternate or cluster in lines according to initial glyph.