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Back to the Future - page/paragraph initial words
- Back to the Future - page/paragraph initial words
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Back to the Future - page/paragraph initial words
Grove > 01-01-2026, 02:03 PM
I left the voynich conversation a quarter century ago or thereabouts. So, as if that was yesterday, here I am continuing about where I left off with page (and subsequently paragraph) initial words.
Transcription errors are very likely, but I do think the statistics generally do hold true when you look across the entire manuscript. The words below are among the ‘rare’ words unless you clip off the leading gallows, but I think there’s more to them.
f3v (bold below) is particularly intriguing with the first and third paragraph initial words being eerily similar to the way the second and fourth are structured.
I mixed up how I handled split gallows and word-adjacent words that might be prefixed by the first word. Using period or hyphen to join them. It’s pretty clear with long split gallows across several words. I included them as part of the paragraph or page initial words because I felt they were needed.
The rarity of these words doesn’t look quite as rare when only looking at paragraph initial words.
First 7 quires paragraph initial words:
Quire 1
Fychys ?odar ?ydain Cpho-shaiin
Kchys Potoy
Kydainy Kydain
Kaoiin Kchor
Tsheos Pcheol Tsheoarom Pcheoldom
Koaiin Tchor
Kodalchy Pydaiin
Pchaoiin Torchy
Kshody Tshy
Kocheor Tchody
Foar
Koar
Pchodaiin Ksholochey
Polyshy Kchor
Pshol Tshosp Ctho..cthey
Cthod.. soocth Pchar
——-
2
Tydlo Pshoain
Fochar Pchor
Pchocthy-shar Ycheor
Paiin Qotchy
Tshol Tchol
Polchody
Torshor Shorodo
Koair Foldaiin
Pchodaiin Soshy
Pdychodaiin
Tshor
Poror
Pocheody Tchor Toror
Pchraiin Pchocthy
——
3
Fshody Tchom Ksheo
Pchodol Kchor Sor Qoain Oal
Pdrairdy Tchor
Told Tolol
Pchor
Pochaiin Tod
Kdchody Pchocthy Fchodees
Faiis-ar Tshol
Pchor Ochofychy Fchokshy
Toldshy
Pololshy Pchaiin Kchol Kchol
Pysaiinor Fshor
Pydchdom Qolkody Tshol
Podairol Tshol
Porory
Tchodar Tochol Ksho
——
4
Fcholdy
Poeeaiin
Psheoky Fcho
Pchedar Pchdar Pchedy
Ksor Kchey
Fochof
Pchodar
Kshol Tshoiin Pchol
Poraiin Kcheol
Koaiin Kochor Qokaiin
Okchesy Opchol
Cthscthain oyshy
Keedey Tshokeody Tolshso
Podair Pcheeody
Fchaiin Fcho
Kcheodaiin Ksho
——
5
Tshdar
Tarar Tshdy
Pcheoepchy Tcheo
Kschdy Pchedar
Cthoo-r-choly-cthy Paiin
Parchor
Pchafdan Podaiin
Pcharosy Tchor
Tocphol Pchotchy Koiin
Kshody Qotor Todain
Tolor
Okchop
Tedochshd Pchdaiin Pchdar
Pdair Pardy
Pchey Ksheo
Pchedain Teeypchody Toees (and ‘title-word’ Pchedy)
——
6
Pshey.Kedealeey Shedey.polchedy
Pcheody (keeshdal?)
Stho-ofaiin-cthaihcthy Pcho Pydaiin
Tcho..cto..sheey Posheor
Tarodaiin Pshesy Pshdar
Pdsairy Tolkshdy Tarchor
Tshodpy Toy Pshy
Tsho Yokalod Tsheody
Pykydal Kolshol Tshol
Korary Qotol Yksheor
Pcheocphy Tedy Tshdy Pchdair
Pody
Pchair Folr
Psheot Pchodaiin
Pshdaiin
Pcheodchy Pchedar
——
7
Poshol Ksho Podaiin
Kshor Fchochor Qotcho
Psheor
Tchy
Tsholdchy
Poshody
Tdokchcfhy
Pchor Pcheol
Kodam
Tshor
Podaiin Korare
Pcheodar
Podaiin Tchedar
Kcheedchdy Okeed
Otchal-chchsty Tchoky
Kcheat Kchokchy -
RE: Back to the Future - page/paragraph initial words
Grove > 03-01-2026, 01:24 AM
I just discovered there have been other threads related to paragraph initial gallows. I saw some had a list of all line initial words but didn’t see one specific to paragraph initial words. I just manually went through all the pages looking for something to jump out at me. The best indication to me that there’s something to those words was You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. where there seems to be two related sets of paragraph start words.
Since I’ve just zipped through the interlinear files and images to pull all the words out that I’m interested in, I thought I’d share them although it isn’t formatted great. Here’s the last set of quires where we could assume paragraph start words exist:
I sometimes extended to include following words with ‘.’
13
Kchedy Pdalshor Polshy
Pchedar Tolshear Pokain Por.shey Kolkedy
Potchokar Polalchdy Poleedaran
Polarar Cphdar Polchdal Pchealdy Sakaiin Qoeedy
Poldalair Otedy Pol.shedy
Qetedy Tedal Tchy
Tshedar Paral-ol-qokeedy
Pykedy Qofcheol
Torain Polchedy Pshorol Pol.shar Polaiin Pol.shey Pol.chedy Polkeey
Poldshedy Pchedy Pshdy Polkey Pchey Poraror Pol.ol
Pdol Porolshsdy Pol.chy
Pchedy Polshol Tshedy Psheoldy Polteshol Pshol.tain Pol.or Polkedy
Polchey Pchedy Polchdy Par.ody
Par.shey Pol.shy
Qosheedy Polchdy Posalshy
Tokol Pcheol Tar Tolchol Tchal Qody Pcheol
Tchedy Pchor Pdalchdy Qokeedy
Poldaky Pchedar Qokeed
Kol.chedy Polchd
Kor.shedy Pchol.shedy
——
14
Pdsheody Pchedy Pdar.ol Polky Pcheoykshedy Pchdaiin Pchdairor Podaiin
skip rest of quire
——
15
F87r Poalshsal Psheodshy
F87v Pcheey Opcheey
f88r Darsheoy Koaiphhy Poeear
F88v Teodal Kosholdy Toairshy
F89r1 Qoar Tcheol Pshol
F89r2 Qokcheody Porachol Kolches
F89v1 Koldal Tosheo
F90r1 Poleeol
F90r2 Tolsalchs
F89v2 Kosar Sor Toar
F90v1 Pcheor Ksheodal
F90v2 Cthaithy Tcheody
——
17
F93r Kodshol
F93v Porsheody
F94r Tchedy Pchedar
F94v Kshedy Tedain Pchedaiin
F95r1 Kshdor Tchdor
F95r2 Kshedy Tshod
F95v1 Tolkeedy-ctho Tshdal Pshedar
F95v2 Tchody
F96r Tor.Tcheeor
F96v Psheos.cheeor
——
19
F99r Pcheody Kodaiin Tsheeor Tol.keey
F99v Sol Doror Qoteeoy Otoel-socthey
F100r Pcheol Folchody
F100v Cthdeecthy
F101r Pcheol Ctolctheol Cphoer
F101v Tolchor Kshar Teeeol
F102r1 Polaiin Pshodaiin Teeeody
F102r2 Lsais Kolor Cthol-dcthody
F102v1 Poaiin Foedaiin
F102v2 Podeesho Pydary
——
20 Starred paragraphs:
F103r Pchedal Pocharal Daroal Oreeos Podar Dshol Polchedy Pcheam Teeoky Qokechy Pcholkchdy Qokeey Qokeear Pchedy Qokeey Tshey Odeeey Polarar Pchedal
F103v Poldar Pcheor Pchal Sal Teeol Qokeedy Pol.shar Tokain Pcheody Pchear Y.shey Ol.shey Polshor Orain
F104r Pchdar Kchdal Tol.chedal Tshdol Ocheo.ithey Toaiin Tshedar Pchedar Okeeo.l Pchol Psheody Pcholor Tsheodl
F104v Pchdaiin Solchd Tchodls Polchechy Tolkshey Pcheor Ytchedy Pchoror Kche.shodaiin Fchedy Fsheodar Posairy Tchedy
f105r Taiin-dar Par.arody Pdar Kesoar Lteedy Pcheor Pdal Pchsed Kodeey Ypchedy
F105v Polairy Pchedal Fodal Pchedaiin Pchor Porair Tcholkaiin Kchdaldy Tdol Poar
F106r Pshdar Pcheodair Porarchy Pshoair Pcheol Pdaroar Kshed Tshodair Podshedy Tcheoky Poral Tcheorsho Psheodalo Pshodaiin Pcheodar
F106v Fshedy Tshoar Tshodaiin Tchdys.ar Kcheoykar Pshodalos Polchs Tar.air Psheody Tolos Pchodaiin Pyoaly Ko.sheo.dy P.y.chal
F107r Pchdlar Teeody Tarshor Polchls Tolshosor Poalosy Taror Tal.al Pydar Pair Faisar Foaral.orar Pcholky Todky Fairal
F107v Kaisar Tol Polcheolkain Tshedy Parais Palar.or.air Palchar.ar Kaolkar Tolkeeedy Tay? Polchedy Poraiin Pokar.ar Pol.kee.eo Porain
F108r Teodeear Tchokedy Pochedy Teodeey Polchal Fcheokair Qolshy Folaiin Polchedy Keol Pychary Tchedy Okeey Dain Pcheedy
Too many stars with doubtful paragraphs:
F108v Pchedal Polaiin Pchedaiin Pshedky Pcheor Polkeedal Qokeeor Sais Polshedaiin Tolshey (doubtful about stars at this point)
F111r Kcholchdar Dain (stars but no tea sign of paragraphs so ignored)
Polal Pchedar Poekeey
F111v Koshey Polarar Palkiin Polar Polchey Pollaiin Cphalar
Stars seem to align with paragraphs:
F112r Folchey Okair Tchedy Poar.alch.ar Polchdy Qoain Pcholkeedy Pair.al Harol Pam Palkeedy Pol.ar
F112v Keeo.al Pcheokeey Tchor.aiin Pchodain Pchoraiin Ycheol Pchodaiin Polar Tchedor Tchede Teodarody Poly Ycheey
F113r Pchesfchy Kcheeos Pchosos Pcheody Polchor Pcheoor Ksharaiin Tchoar Pchodair Tchol Folchsar Palchsar Tshedy Pcheockhy Pcheodaiin Tchodairos.ar Tcho.arar.shy
F113v Folorarom Fchoctheody Fcheshd.Teody Polaiin Poraiin Pychdar Polaiin Tokary Paiis Polsaisy Ofaral Pcholky Pol.keeo.dy Polaiin.aral
Polaiin
F114r Tchedol Fdeechdy Fcheydam Dalchy Solpchd.oiin Pairody Tchedair Tchedaiin Pchedairs Tcheodaiin Pcheos.air.oy Todaiin Poedais
F114v Pchdol Tedcheo Pchedchdy Tchedy Tsheodar Dorkcheky Tshedain Pshedy Pcheodal Pchdair Kaiin Tshey
F115r Kshhdar Dchedain Kcheor Tchedy Tchedy Pcheodain Psheody Ksheoary Fshedy Pocheos.aral Paiinody Tcheodl.raiin
F115v Tchedor Pchody Tchosos Tchdor Pchdarody Pchodain Tshedy Pcheo.cheeody Polar Pchdair Taiin Tshar Dcheodl
F116r Kchdpy Padar Pchol Chdaiin Qo..o Pchoetal Pcharalar
(No stars) Pchallarar.al Oqokain -
RE: Back to the Future - page/paragraph initial words
ThomasCoon > 03-01-2026, 04:22 AM
Welcome back. I have also recently returned to Voynich studies after trying hard to stay away
Your observation, I think, is an important one. Gallows are indeed over-represented as paragraph-initial letters - and also page-initial.
Out of the first 50 pages of the herbal, 49 start with gallows. (The 1 that does not is a benched gallows.)
What is the reason for that? What system (or language) could produce that result? -
RE: Back to the Future - page/paragraph initial words
Grove > 04-01-2026, 10:03 PM
Still trying to work my way through the first words. Here’s a little look at the digraphs or trigraphs of paragraph initials:
Pch 132 pche 69 pcho 37 pchd 14 pcha 9
Pchr 1 pchs 1
Po 116 pol 67 por 14 pod 11 pos 5 poch 5 pot 2 pok 2
Psh 29 pshe 15 psho 9 pshd 4 pshy 1
Pa 21 par 7 pai 7 pal 5 pad 1 Pam 1
Pd 13 pda 8 pds 2 pdy 1 pdr 1 pdo 1
Py 11 pyd 5 Pyk 2 pych 2 pys 1 pyo 1
Tch 57 tche 26 tcho 22 tchy 4 tchd 3 tcha 1
Tsh 40 tsho 17 tshe 16 tshd 5 tsha 1 tshy 1
To 43 Tol 21 tod 5 tor 5 toa 3 tok 3 toc 3 toch 2 tocph 1 tos 1 toe 1 toy 1
Te 18 tee 8 teod 5 ted 5
Ty 1
Ko 26 kol 6 koa 5 kod 5 kor 4 kos 4 Koch 2
ks 21 kso 1, ksh 20 kshe 8 ksho 8 ksha 2 kshh 1 kshd 1
kch 21 kche 10 kcho 7 kchd 4
ke 6
Ka 4
ky 2
Fo 13 fol 7 Foch 2 foa 2 foe 1 fod 1
Fch 13 fcho 7 fche 5 fcha 1
Fsh 5 fshe 3 fsho 2
Fa 5
Fd 1
Fy 1