Line themes

Particular lines of text in the Voynich ms. show a concern with particular elements and glyphs of the language. Particular lines, we might say, have themes. These themes are not so much particular vords as particular parts of vords, particular formations and sequences of glyphs. Particular lines hilight particular aspects of the language.

For example:

This is the ninth line of text on pg 58v.

9. sholaiin.chey.yteodaiin.qoar.aiin.arary.sheey.daiin.ealam.

Note the repetition of the element –aiin, which in fact appears as a distinct stand-alone vord here.

9. sholaiin.chey.yteodaiin.qoar.aiin.arary.sheey.daiin.ealam.

The lines before and after this line do not feature this –aiin element. The line before it has none. Suddenly, the ninth line is full of –aiin formations. For some reason, in some way, that line is about –aiin.

We can rightly ask: why is there an unusual number of –aiin elements in that line?

The counts of -aiin for the surrounding lines are:

Line 6 = 1
Line 7 = 1
Line 8 = 0
Line 9 = 4
Line 10 = 1
Line 11 = 1

The ninth line stands out. The form [aiin] is like the theme of the line.

* * *

Similiarly, line four of the same page shows an interest in the glyph [sh]:

4. dshor cholar aiin shalom shaly dalchy oteom dal sholalam

Line four has twice as many [sh] as its neighboring lines. The number of [sh] found in surrounding lines is as follows:

Line 1 = 2
Line 2 = 1
Line 3 = 1
Line 4 = 4
Line 5 = 0
Line 6 = 0
Line 7 = 2

For some reason, in some way, this line is about [sh]. It is confined to the line, though. It does not continue into the next line. This line – as a unit – concerns [sh] in some way. Its theme is the glyph form [sh].

* * *

Here is line 5 from the same page:

qor dchairam otar otar char ar al char arary ytalar cham

The concern of this line is signalled by the stand-alone particles [ar] and [al] – the theme of the line is the vowel [a] and the various final consonants it may take.

qor dchairam otar otar char ar al char arary ytalar cham

The line rehearses the forms –ar, -al, -air and –am.

Note that the line is not about the vord [otar] even though it is repeated. Rather, it is the ending -ar that forms the theme of the line.

* * *

Here is line three from page 7v:

qokchy.dykchy.chkeey.kshy.ky.ty.dor.cheey.ol.cheol.dy-

Evidently, this line concerns the forms with a consonant and the glyph [y].

qokchy.dykchy.chkeey.kshy.ky.ty.dor.cheey.ol.cheol.dy-

The particles [ky], [ty] and [dy] all appear here as stand-alone vords. In some way this line is about the suffix [consonant + y].

Again, note that the theme of the line is not a particular vord but rather the smaller grammatical unit [a + final consonant].

* * *

However, as has long been observed, some lines feature various permutations of a single vord. This line from page 7v:

kchor.sheod.sheodaiin.shodaiin.oksholshol.dais.qos.

kchor.sheod.sheodaiin.shodaiin.oksholshol.dais.qos.

The line rehearses variations on [sheod-] but it also features the glyph [sh] to an unusual degree. Possibly the endings -s in the final two vords are a related phenomenon.

Once again, this is confined to the line as a unit because it does not continue from or to the surrounding lines. The rehearsal of [sheod] and its endings is the particular theme of the line.

What we find in these cases is an unusual concentration of a particular grammatical component in particular lines.


R. B.