Re: VMs: Introduction, speculations, & questions

[Barbara Barrett <barbarabarrett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Nick Noted;
> 
> Hi Barbara,
> It [the voynich] is like trying to solve a crossword where we can neither make sense of
> the clues, nor tell black squares from white. And we can't even be sure how
> long individual words really are. :-(

Barbara Blathers;
This is where a Kober analisis might help. By listing vertically "words"
that start or end the same with a variation of only a few graphemes one
*should* be able to diferentiate between declentions and run-ins.
By this method one might be able to identify *parts* of the language
(eg; definite articles, particibles, etc)

> Finding "where the black squares" is what I'm trying to do - just what is
> its logic?

I think that once the language parts can be identified, then
comparisions with orthographic conventions will differentiate plaintext
from obscusifications.


> I have my own theory (which is that it's a pre-1500 composite system of
> shorthand and cipher tricks, with one stage a "pair cipher" which encodes
> many tokens as pairs of letters in a fake cipherbet) - but opinions differ,
> so don't take my word for it, whatever you do. :-)

My own ideas are similar, but until I have the entire "text" to work
with and test the ideas......

> >And has anyone published a reasonably
> >affordable facsimile of the Voynich MSS and where do I get my sweaty
> >hands on it?
> 
> You can order a CopyFlo direct from the Beinecke - not too expensive, but
> it does take a reasonable while to arrive. Not very good quality, either. :-(

Now I show my ignorance. I only assume this is the name of the library
at Yale, but how do I get in contact with these sellers?


> However, if you can bear the (hopefully rather shorter) wait, it should be
> possible to get a copy of Ken W's 300MB PDF on a CD to you in the next few
> days. I guess that would probably be your best option. :-)

Geting such a thing would be great, unfortunatly I'd have to wait until
I can purchase a more modern computer before I could make use of new
PDFs :-( Nevertheless, how do I get my sweaty mits on one of these?

barbara
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