Vowelling the Text

In the course of these investigations I have proposed that vowel clusters in the text might represent quantities, or more specifically divisions. 

The primal glyph, by my account, is the omicron - [o]. 

This represents one unit or one measure. 

It can then be divided in half as the form [ee] and then it can be divided further again into the backslash-based sequences with [a] and [iin]. 

Thus:

[o] = one unit

[ee] = two half units

[aiin] = quarters

Vowel clusters in the text, then, are numerations (of some sort).

This has been suggested many times over the years, primarily as a way to explain clusters of three or more [e] glyphs. 

Might it work like Roman numerals, or some other number system? 

In any case, my studies arrive once again at the proposal that vowels are quantities. I have been led to the idea that consonants indicate qualities, vowels indicate quantities. 

What is being quantified is another question, but regardless, vowels are quantities, or measures, units of division. 

* * *

In this context, the glyph [ch] becomes interesting. In form, it is clearly two [e] glyphs, [ee], twin vowels, but they are joined by a ligature and the ligature turns them into a consonant. 

Thus we see the [ee] change from a quantity to a quality. 

But, as an experiment, let us ignore that change and remove the ligature. This is only a simple stroke of the quill. It is easily removed. Without that stroke [ch] becomes [ee]. 

Here is a swathe of text where the ligature has been removed and [ch] has been converted (restored) to [ee]. So too the variant [sh], and the [ch] in the benched gallows. From f31v:

 podair.eeeedy.otedy.oteedy.qotoleeeo.s.arar.oteey.dkarar.als-

yteeos.oeteey.okeeos.eeeody.okeey.keeody.daiin.eeeody.keedy-

ykeeo.daiin.eeedal.okedy.okey.keody.okeeey.sair.okees.o.lkedy-

dair.eteedy.qokedy.okeody.eeedar.oked.al.oekeedy.okeedy.otas-

ykeos.eeeeoy.ar.aiin=

peeeeody.qop.eeedal.eeeefey.eeefeeol.or.eeeef.alaiin.opal.eeeo.otar-

olteedam.eees.eeol.keeol.eeeekey.okeol.okal.oky.eeeokar.okor.ary-

    yk.aiin.eeee.keeeey.yeeek.eeor.eeeor.or.eeeetey.okeeeoked.leeey.okam-

yteeeeol.eeeoeky.okeos.aiin.aeteedy.eekaiin.eeeteeey.eteeey.okear-

dar.seoar.al.kar.oeeeos.eeeos.aiin.o.ekeey.okeo.kor.oteol.ain-

saiin.ar.ekeeos.eeedy.okeey.qoear.oraiin.eeeom=

* * *

We can make this even more stark if we now convert [y] into a plain [o]. This again is just a case of a simple quill stroke. [y] is evidently an omicron [o] with a tail. We can remove the tail and change [y] into [o]. 

This text sample now becomes:

podair.eeeedo.otedo.oteedo.qotoleeeo.s.arar.oteeo.dkarar.als-

oteeos.oeteeo.okeeos.eeeodo.okeeo.keeodo.daiin.eeeodo.keedo-

okeeo.daiin.eeedal.okedo.okeo.keodo.okeeeo.sair.okees.o.lkedo-

dair.eteedo.qokedo.okeodo.eeedar.oked.al.oekeedo.okeedo.otas-

okeos.eeeeoo.ar.aiin=

peeeeodo.qop.eeedal.eeeefeo.eeefeeol.or.eeeef.alaiin.opal.eeeo.otar-

olteedam.eees.eeol.keeol.eeeekeo.okeol.okal.oko.eeeokar.okor.aro-

    ok.aiin.eeee.keeeeo.oeeek.eeor.eeeor.or.eeeeteo.okeeeoked.leeeo.okam-

oteeeeol.eeeoeko.okeos.aiin.aeteedo.eekaiin.eeeteeeo.eteeeo.okear-

dar.seoar.al.kar.oeeeos.eeeos.aiin.o.ekeeo.okeo.kor.oteol.ain-

saiin.ar.ekeeos.eeedo.okeeo.qoear.oraiin.eeeom=

Now, in two simple steps, we have a text replete in vowel clusters. 

* * *

One step further. Let us remove the plumes from [n] and [r]. These become [i]. 

We'll call [m] an [i] as well.

And while we are at it, the glyph [l] is an [i] with a ligature. Remove the ligature.  

And let us remove the plume from [s]. It becomes [e]. 

By removing plumes and ligatures we return these glyphs to vowels, all variants (divisions) of [o]. 

Here is the fully vowellated text:

podaii.eeeedo.otedo.oteedo.qotoieeeo.e.aiai.oteeo.dkaiai.aie-

oteeoe.oeteeo.okeeoe.eeeodo.okeeo.keeodo.daiii.eeeodo.keedo-

okeeo.daiii.eeedai.okedo.okeo.keodo.okeeeo.eaii.okeee.o.ikedo-

daii.eteedo.qokedo.okeodo.eeedai.oked.ai.oekeedo.okeedo.otae-

okeoe.eeeeoo.ai.aiii=

peeeeodo.qop.eeedai.eeeefeo.eeefeeoi.oi.eeeef.aiaiii.opai.eeeo.otai-

oiteedam.eeee.eeoi.keeoi.eeeekeo.okeoi.okai.oko.eeeokai.okoi.aio-

ok.aiii.eeee.keeeeo.oeeek.eeoi.eeeoi.oi.eeeeteo.okeeeoked.ieeeo.okai-

oteeeeoi.eeeoeko.okeoe.aiii.aeteedo.eekaiii.eeeteeeo.eteeeo.okeai-

* * *

Again: we arrive at this just by removing ligatures, firstly, and the modifying plumes secondly. Less a few quill strokes, this is actually what the text looks like. 

It is remarkable we are even able to do this to the text so easily. 

The model I am considering - consonants indicate qualities and vowels (and vowel clusters) indicate quantities - conforms to this presentation. 

In essence, we have consonants - mainly the gallows - and vowels that quantify them. 

In fact, let us go the whole way with this. The only glyph that has escaped our attention (other than [q]) is [d]. In form, it looks like two [o] glyphs arranged vertically. Let us change [d] to [oo]:

poooaii.eeeeooo.oteooo.oteeooo.qotoieeeo.e.aiai.oteeo.ookaiai.aie-

oteeoe.oeteeo.okeeoe.eeeoooo.okeeo.keeoooo.ooaiii.eeeoooo.keeooo-

okeeo.ooaiii.eeeooai.okeooo.okeo.keoooo.okeeeo.eaii.okeee.o.ikeooo-

      ooaii.eteeooo.qokeooo.okeoooo.eeeooai.okeoo.ai.oekeeooo.okeeooo.otae-

okeoe.eeeeoo.ai.aiii=

peeeeoooo.qop.eeeooai.eeeefeo.eeefeeoi.oi.eeeef.aiaiii.opai.eeeo.otai-

 oiteeooam.eeee.eeoi.keeoi.eeeekeo.okeoi.okai.oko.eeeokai.okoi.aio-

ok.aiii.eeee.keeeeo.oeeek.eeoi.eeeoi.oi.eeeeteo.okeeeokeoo.ieeeo.okai-

oteeeeoi.eeeoeko.okeoe.aiii.aeteeooo.eekaiii.eeeteeeo.eteeeo.okeai-

ooai.eeoai.ai.kai.oeeeoe.eeeoe.aiii.o.ekeeo.okeo.koi.oteoi.aii-

eaiii.ai.ekeeoe.eeeooo.okeeo.qoeai.oiaiii.eeeoi=

Now we have a stream of vowels (divisions of [o]) punctuated with the gallows glyphs (and [q].) By my proposal, this exposes a more primitive form of the text. 

R.B.