Line 7 page 1v.

Line 7 page 1v requires special attention.

qo.ol.choeee.cheol.dol.cthey-

It was noted long ago that it marks the first appearance of the glyph [q].

Remarkably, the glyph [q] – so characteristic of the Voynich text – is entirely lacking from page 1 recto. We first meet it on page 1 verso.

We first meet it as the syllable vord .qo. which thereafter is a common prefix.

* * *

The next appearance of [q] is on page 2 recto, line 3 which begins:

qotaiin-cthey.y-chor.chy.ydy-chaiin-

This is followed by single instances in lines 8, 9 and 10 on that page:

kydain.shaiin.qoy.s.shol.fodan-yksh.olsheey.daiildy- dlssho.kol.sheey.qokey.ykody.so-chol.yky.dain.daiirol- qoky.cholaiin.shol.sheky.daiin-cthey.keol.saiin.saiin-

Let’s look at all these instances as a group:

qo
qotaiin
qoy
qokey
qoky

We see that [q] is connected to [o] from the outset. Moreover, [qo-] is connected to the gallows letters [k] and [t] from the outset.

* * *

Turning the page to page 2 verso, we find a feature line at line 2:
 

 kcho.kchy.sho.shol.qotcho.loeees.qoty-chor.daiin-

Two cases of a [qo-] vord.

 

* * * 

 

It seems that the glyph [q], specifically in its usual form as [qo-], has the function of prefixing the gallows glyphs. When it is introduced on page 2. it is first announced as a stand-alone unit [.qo.] but then it is immediately applied to prefixing the gallows letters.  

We can map all of this on our vord paradigm. It concerns formations in compartments A and B. It is unclear why [qo] is not introduced until one complete page into the text.

 

R. B.