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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> cryptography <cryptography-bounces+gerard.cheshire=bristol.ac.uk@metzdowd.com> on behalf of Ben McGinnes <ben@adversary.org><br>
<b>Sent:</b> 12 February 2019 03:25<br>
<b>To:</b> cryptography@metzdowd.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Cryptography] The Voynich Manuscript as a product of a mental health disorder</font>
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<div class="PlainText">On Mon, Jan 21, 2019 at 09:37:07AM +0000, Peter Gutmann wrote:<br>
> The Voynich Manuscript has attracted interest almost entirely from<br>
> cryptographically-inclined people (alongside historians) who are by nature<br>
> inclined to try and interpret it as some form of cipher or code, because they<br>
> want to see a cipher or code there. I recently tried a different approach, I<br>
> showed it to a psychologist and asked "which type of mental health disorder<br>
> could the creator of this work have?".<br>
> <br>
> The first response was that it was created by a functional schizophrenic, a<br>
> disorder that developed over time where they were seen as deeply spiritual by<br>
> others (perhaps in a monastery) and their work was encouraged.<br>
<br>
That's a very sound theory and now my second favourite. Though it is<br>
more likely to be correct than my favourite theory, I still just<br>
thoroughly enjoy this one:<br>
<br>
<a href="https://xkcd.com/593/">https://xkcd.com/593/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Ben<br>
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<p style="font-size: 12pt;">Hi Ben/Peter,</p>
<p style="font-size: 12pt;">I've already told Cryptography list - the Voynich manuscript was written by a Dominican nun in perfectly ordinary language and she was entirely sound of mind. The writing system was solved in May 2017 and a paper will be formally
published in 2019. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">In the meantime, t</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">hree draft papers are available
to freely download from the preprint linguistics website LingBuzz:</span></p>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><br>
</span></font></span></font></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">The
first paper explains the writing system and language: </span></font><a href="http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/003737" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="LPlnk196176"><font size="3" face="Calibri,serif,EmojiFont"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/003737</span></font></a></span></font></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">The
second paper translates the pictorial </span></font><font size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">map from
the manuscript</span></font><font size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">: </span></font><font size="3" face="Calibri,serif,EmojiFont"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/003808" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="LPlnk36831"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/003808</span></a></span></font><a href="http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/003808" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="LPlnk142793"></a></span></font></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font size="3"><font size="3"><font color="#212121" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">The
third paper focuses on volcanological details from the map</span></font><font color="#212121" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><span style="color: black;">:</span> </span></font></font></font><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, Helvetica, EmojiFont, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", NotoColorEmoji, "Segoe UI Symbol", "Android Emoji", EmojiSymbols;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><a href="https://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/004381" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/004381</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font size="3" face="Calibri,serif,EmojiFont"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><br>
</span></font></span></font></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<font color="#212121"><span style="font-size: 15px;"></span></font><font face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont" size="3">I don't know where such an idea as schizophrenia might come from - most odd, and ironic too. The book is merely a memoire
and a compendium of Medieval medical advice. I'm familiar with such fantastical nonsense as aliens, black magic, communist </font><font face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont">propaganda<font size="3">, conspiracy, hoaxing, practical joking,
alchemy and the rest - but schizophrenia? Plain daft! </font></font><font face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"></font></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<font size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><br>
</span></font></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Calibri,serif,EmojiFont"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">Regards,</span></font></span></font></div>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Calibri,serif,EmojiFont"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">Dr. G.
E. Cheshire,</span></font></span></font></div>
<p style="font-size: 12pt;"></p>
<div style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><font color="black" size="3" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif,Helvetica,EmojiFont,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,NotoColorEmoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Android Emoji,EmojiSymbols"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="Calibri,serif,EmojiFont"></font></span></font><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;">University
of Bristol. </span></div>
<p style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 15px; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span></p>
<p style="font-size: 12pt;"></p>
<p style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"></span></p>
<p style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><a href="https://bristol.academia.edu/GerardCheshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">https://bristol.academia.edu/GerardCheshire</a></span></p>
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