Re: VMs: algorithm to generate VMS like text

["Jeff" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: RE: VMs: algorithm to generate VMS like text

hi Jon

 

Did you pursue this? I think this approach has great merit. I had heard nothing more of it since it was mentioned and wondered if you had refined it.

 

Jeff

----- Original Message -----

From: Jon Grove

To: 'vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx'

Sent: 14 August 2003 13:00

Subject: RE: VMs: algorithm to generate VMS like text

On the subject of creating VMS-like text, I've been experimenting recently with an algorithm which produces a reasonable approximation to Voynichese. It's in early stages at the moment and I hesitate to publish it, but since the subject has cropped up...

What I have is a set of partially filled in tables for translating source characters to EVA. The algorithm works as follows:

Convert(char)
{
    do
    {
        if char is in current table
            translate char
        switch to next table
        if no more tables
        {
            output space
            switch to first table
        }
    } until char translated
}
 
It is fed with a stream of characters (excluding spaces). It can create the kind of crust-mantle-core structure seen in VMS words by organising the tables so that the first and last contain 'crust' characters, the second and penultimate contain 'mantle' characters and the middle one 'core' characters. 'Words' in the output text do not correspond to words in the plaintext.

The resulting text is more verbose than the plaintext in this case, partly because I've chosen EVA, and partly because I replace single characters with multiple ones. The algorithm can produce different output strings for the same input string, depending on the context of the input string.

I don't necessarily claim that this is how the VMS is encoded, but it might provide some food for thought. I haven't fine-tuned the tables (I only use 3 at present) so the text is probably not as Voynichese as it could be, but I think it already looks quite similar. However it's not clear to me how such a system could recreate some of the curious statistical properties of VMS text.

As an example of the kind of text it produces, I'll attach a 'translation' of the beginning of the Book of Genesis.

Cheers,
Jon

-----------------------------

# InthebeginningGodcreatedtheheavenandtheearthAndtheearthwaswithoutformandvoidanddarkness
lshey alkches otchol qsheol qtchdal ykchain qolkcheaiin dkched dkedy alkcheaiin sheedy qcheal dykor okcheaiin qolkor qoshed dkedy ocheo dkedam qochdam lkor ycheey akeeo l qoshed sheear lkchaiin qkchd qoteos qkcheody r

# wasuponthefaceofthedeepAndtheSpiritofGodmoveduponthefaceofthewatersAndGodsaidLet
dam qocham dalkeeal dkedy acheain okeedaiin dkedy dykchedy dalcheal dykor ochod lteol dkeedaiin tchar dyl ysheedy dycheeod yshey alkchedaiin qoain okeedaiin dkedy lochey oteody qoshed tchar dychaiin lkchdar ok

# therebelightandtherewaslightAndGodsawthelightthatitwasgoodandGoddividedthelightfrom
y alkcheo opchedy shol tchor dcheal dykor otedy locheody shol tchor dcheal dytchar dychaiin lokor oshol tchor dkor qokol ddam qochdal ykeed qoshed tchar dykchol sheeol dykched dkedy shol tchor dtcheo yl

# thedarknessAndGodcalledthelightDayandthedarknesshecalledNightAndtheeveningandthe
dkedy dycheo chckhal ochody qoshed tchar dyain qoshdar okchy alkchedar ltchor dkchaiin locheal dykor okchaiin qolchckhal ochody alkcheain qoshdar okchal ltchor dcheal dykor okchealy osheol qtchaiin qkchy alkche

# morningwerethefirstdayAndGodsaidLettherebeafirmamentinthemidstofthewatersandletit
l yteal lshedal lokcheo okor otcheol qolchy dycheoky qoshed tchar dychaiin lkchdar oky alkcheo opchedy qotcheol qoll qol oshey lshey alkchel lkchody dkeedaiin dkedy lochey oteody qoshed shdy dty

# dividethewatersfromthewatersAndGodmadethefirmamentanddividedthewaterswhichwereunder
dytaly lkchdy dkedy lochey oteody atear l dkedy lochey oteody qoshed tchar dyl qokchdy dkedy ato l qol oshey qoshed dytaly lkchdy dykor odam qokdy qolchdam altain aldam otedy olshed ote

# thefirmamentfromthewaterswhichwereabovethefirmamentanditwassoAndGodcalledthefirmament
y alkchedaiin ltel qol oshey atear l dkedy lochey oteody lokeol skedam otedy qopchear sheedy dkedy ato l qol oshey qoshed lkdam qochody ycheal dytchar dyain qoshdar okchy alkchedaiin ltel qol oshey

# HeavenAndtheeveningandthemorningweretheseconddayAndGodsaidLetthewatersundertheheaven
alkcheaiin sheedy qcheal dykor okchealy osheol qtchaiin qkchy alkchel yteal lshedal lokcheo okor ochdy skeeal dykchaiin locheal dytchar dychaiin lkchdar oky alkchedam qokdy qolcham qkchdy qolkor okedy qosheedy q

# begatheredtogetheruntooneplaceandletthedrylandappearanditwassoAndGodcalledthedry
pchedy tchaiin dkedy qolkched dkeedal okor oteam qkar yshedy dalshaiin skcheaiin qkchdar oky alkched qolpdar qoshed qood dalkcheaiin qolcheal dyty locheody rkeeaiin qkchdal ykchain qoshdar okchy alkched qolp

# landEarthandthegatheringtogetherofthewaterscalledheSeasandGodsawthatitwasgoodAnd
dar qoshed ocheo dkeaiin qkchy alkchedal qokor oteol qtchy ytchdy dkedy qolkeedaiin dkedy lochey oteody schedar shdy dykedy rkcheaiin rcheal dytchar dychaiin lokor qokol ddam qochdal ykeed qoshed

# GodsaidLettheearthbringforthgrasstheherbyieldingseedandthefruittreeyieldingfruit
tchar dychaiin lkchdar oky alkchedy qotey alpcheo lshedal akeeo dkedal qolcheody rkor okedy qolpcheoky lkchedar dytal tchody okched qoshed dkedy ateam lky qolkchedy lotdy shd lshedal ateam lk

# afterhiskindwhoseseedisinitselfupontheearthanditwassoAndtheearthbroughtforthgrass
aiin akdy qolkeol rchckhol qkchdam alkeeody ochdy okchol rtal lkody oshdaiin olod yshey alkchedy qotey alcheal dyty locheody rkeeaiin qkchy alkchedy qotey alpcheo ycheedal alkdaiin ytey altcho qochody

# andherbyieldingseedafterhiskindandthetreeyieldingfruitwhoseseedwasinitselfafterhis
qoshed alkcheo pcheoky lkchedar dytal tchody okched qotchey oteor lchos lshed qoshed dkedy dtedy opol oshd lshedal ateam lkdam alkeeody ochdy okchdam qochol qty rkchedar achedaiin dkcheo altody

# kindandGodsawthatitwasgoodAndtheeveningandthemorningwerethethirddayAndGodsaidLet
chckhol qkchaiin qkchdal ykchody qodam dkeaiin dty locheody tchar ykchaiin qkchy alkchedy sheedy qtal tchaiin qkchy alkchel yteal lshedal lokcheo okor okor lted dycheoky qoshed tchar dychaiin lkchdar ok

# therebelightsinthefirmamentoftheheaventodividethedayfromthenightandletthembeforsigns
y alkcheo opchedy shol tchor dchol qkor otcheol qoll qol oshey ytchey alkcheor ochealy oshey ykchol sheeol dykchey alkched qopdaiin qolkeel dkedy qtdal alkaiin qkchdar oky alkchel pchedy akeeo rtdal qch

# andforseasonsandfordaysandyearsAndletthembeforlightsinthefirmamentoftheheaventogive
aiin qkchdaiin yteody ocheody ysheody qoshed akeeo dycheoky rcheal dypdy qoteody qoshed shdy dkor ol pchedy akeeo shol tchor dchol qkor otcheol qoll qol oshey ytchey alkcheor ochealy oshey ytchol sheedy

# lightupontheearthanditwassoAndGodmadetwogreatlightsthegreaterlighttorulethedayand
shol tchor dcheeod yshey alkchedy qotey alcheal dyty locheody rkeeaiin qkchdal ykchl qokchdy ddam ytcho ochey shol tchor dchy alkchedal qolkcheaiin dkcheo shol tchor dkar qolcheedar okor okchaiin locheal dy

# thelesserlighttorulethenighthemadethestarsalsoAndGodsettheminthefirmamentoftheheaven
kor oshdy rchdy qolshol tchor dkar qolcheedar okor osheol tchor dkedy l qokchdy dkedy rkaiin qolchaiin shody ycheal dytchar dychdy dkor ol lshey alkchedaiin ltel qol oshey ytchey alkcheor ochealy oshe

# togivelightupontheearthAndtoruleoverthedayandoverthenightandtodividethelightfrom
y ytchol sheedy shol tchor dcheeod yshey alkchedy qotey alcheal dykar qolcheedar okeealy otey alkched qopaiin qkchar sheedy qolkor osheol tchor dcheal dykar dytaly lkchdy dkedy shol tchor dtcheo yl

# thedarknessandGodsawthatitwasgoodAndtheeveningandthemorningwerethefourthdayAndGod
dkedy dycheo chckhal ochody qoshed tchar dychaiin lokor qokol ddam qochdal ykeed qoshed dkedy osheedy qtal tchaiin qkchy alkchel yteal lshedal lokcheo okor otchear oltey alkchaiin locheal dytchar dy

# saidLetthewatersbringforthabundantlythemovingcreaturethathathlifeandfowlthatmayfly
chaiin lkchdar oky alkchedam qokdy qolchs qoltal tchdaiin ytey alches olshed qoshey shoky dkedy l ysheeol qtchain qolkcheaiin dcheeo okor qokor qokor shol akcheaiin qkchdaiin ydam shy alchey l qopdaiin shoky

# abovetheearthintheopenfirmamentofheaven
qopchear sheedy dkedy ocheo dkeol qkor okeeod oshedaiin ltel qol oshey ytcheor ochealy oshe

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