spring haiku - a farm, blue trees = une ferme, arbres bleus a farm, blue trees reflected in the pond a rowboat becalmedune ferme, arbres bleus leur reflet dans l’étang une barque immobile Richard Vallance painting, Piet Mondrian, a farm (1901) = peinture, une ferme ( 1901 )
Tag: trees
autumn haiku d’automne – the autumn breeze = la brise d’automne
autumn haiku d’automne – the autumn breeze = la brise d’automne the autumn breeze vanishes – snowflakesla brise d’automne disparaît – flocons de neige Richard Vallance photo © by/ par Richard Vallance 2017
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spring haiku de printemps – the wind ripples = le vent ondule
spring haiku de printemps - the wind ripples = le vent ondule the wind ripples through still naked trees - bare hints of budsle vent ondule parmi les arbres encore nus - soupçons de bourgeons Richard Vallance
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winter haiku d’hiver – scrawny ole’ tree = arbre décharné scrawny ole’ tree alone on the hillside– scruffy coiffurearbre décharné solitaire sur la colline – coiffure effeuillée Richard Vallance haiku © by Richard Vallance 2019, photo © by Willem Tensen 2019
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summer haiku d’été – just after dusk = au crépuscule just after dusk our run-away campfire licks its next treeaprès le crépuscule notre feu de camp ardent lèche les arbres Richard Vallance
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autumn haiku (Tom Thomson, 1877-1917, Autumn’s Garland, 1915) – aureate leaves = feuilles dorées
autumn haiku (Tom Thomson, 1877-1917, Autumn’s Garland, 1915) - aureate leaves = feuilles dorées aureate leaves sweeping a rock face, autumn’s garlandfeuilles dorées sur une paroi rocheuse, guirelande d’automne Richard Vallance This is the first of many haiku I shall be composing based on the magnificent paintings of the most famous of the illustrious Canadian Group of Seven painters of the early twentieth century, Tom Thomson (1877-1917). Tom Thomson disappeared on Canoe Lake on July 8, 1917. He was presumed drowned. Cet haiku est le tout premier de plusieurs que je vais écrire, qui sont tous basés sur les peintures magnifiques du peintre Tom Thomson ( 1877 – 1917 ), le plus renommé de tous le peintres illustres du Groupe des Sept canadien au début du vingtième siècle. Tom Thomson a disparu au Lac Canoe le 8 juillet, 1917. Il est présumé mort.
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winter haiku d’hiver – two wilted trees = deux arbres flétris
winter haiku d’hiver – two wilted trees = deux arbres flétris two wilted trees on the brushwood path – skeletal miragedeux arbres flétris dans les brousailles – mirage de squelettes Richard Vallance This photo was taken by my friend, Willem Tensen, while on a hike in the Hollywood Hills, late January 2019. Mon ami, Willem Tensen, a pris cette photo, lors d’une randonnée dans les collines de Hollywood, vers la fin de janvier, 2019.
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winter haiku d’hiver – fractured trees = arbres brisés
winter haiku d’hiver – fractured trees = arbres brisés fractured trees in the Hollywood Hills – victims of winterarbres brisés sur les collines d’Hollywood – victimes de l’hiver Richard Vallance
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summer haiku d’été – the buddhist monk = le moine bouddhiste
summer haiku d’été – the buddhist monk = le moine bouddhiste the buddhist monk roaming the greenwood mountains is the forestle moine bouddhiste qui erre dans les montagnes vertes est la forêt Richard Vallance
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winter haiku – fractured by the snow storm = brisés par la tempête de neige
winter haiku – fractured by the snow storm = brisés par la tempête de neige trees on the slope fractured by the snow storm now a ghostarbres sur la pente cassés par la tempête de neige enfin un fantôme Richard Vallance
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winter haiku – blood wolf moon = lune du loup saignant
winter haiku – blood wolf moon = lune du loup saignant rabid gusts, trees stripped of their leaves – blood wolf moonrafales féroces, arbres dépouillés – lune du loup saignant Richard Vallance
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winter haiku d’ haiku – silver grass = herbe argentée
winter haiku d’ haiku - silver grass = herbe argentée silver grass bowing to the blast - trees whip-lashedherbe argentée s’agenouillant à la rafale - arbres fouettés Richard Vallance If we yield to life we survive better than if we put our backs up. Si l’on cède à la vie, on réussit mieux que si l’on reste têtu.
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Minoan Linear A poetic vocabulary (11 pages)
Minoan Linear A poetic vocabulary (11 pages):Thematic: Agriculture/crops: adara/adaro/adaru = having to do with the measurement of grain crops ade/adu = large unit of measurement for grains, something like bales? adureza = dry unit of measurement, usually for grains akara/akaru a1kra (arch. acc.) - or - = end, border + akaru a0gro/j = field
akiro a1kairoj = not in season, unseasonable -or- a1grioj = living in the fields; uncultivated, unreclaimed
amaja a3maca= wagon arura a0rou/ra = unit of land -or- plough Cf. Linear B arura arudara a1lutra <- a1lutron = threshing instrument (arch. acc.) asesina = sowing or harvesting asadaka a1staxa (arch. acc.) <- a1staxu (Minoan nom. sing.)= ear of corn Asara2 TOP = Linear B Asaro A0sa/roj -or- may refer to Assur, hence Assyria -or- asara2 (asarai) = without flax atare a0ta=lei/ <- a0ta=lo/j = tender; delicate (of crops?) -or- a0qa/lei <- a0qa/loj = without a branch, twig; without an olive branch -or- a9dro/j = full-grown – or – a0qa/rh = groats, meal, green fodder, forage, provender Cf. kupari = galingale atiru a0te/lu <- a0te/loj = without boundaries dame/dami/daminu OM dame = a type of grain -or- da/mei = in the village data2 (datai) = olive datu = olive tree dideru = einkorn wheat Cf. Linear B didero durare = a type of grain, durum wheat? dureza/durezase = unit of dry measurement? (variation of: adureza?) ero e0llo/j = young deer, fawn etori e1tori <- e1toj = for a year itaja = unit of liquid volume for olive oil? (exact value unknown) kami ka/mi (dat./instr. sing.) <- ka/ma = (on a) unit of land Cf. Linear B ka/ma kasaru = surviving? (drought) kasitero kasite/loj = boundary of...? kikadi = cicada (cricket) kireta2 (kiretai) kri/qai = barley kiretana kriqani/aj = like barley, barley (attributive) kiro/kirisi/kiru = owed Cf. Linear B oporo = they owed kunisu = emmer wheat (derivation: Semitic kunnisu) madi = a ram? (probably, because it appears to be masculine and is used in conjunction with the ideogram for “sheep” maru/maruku/maruri mallo/j = flock of wool Cf. Linear B mali mali/ = wool meza me/za (fem. sing.) = greater, bigger Cf. Linear B mezo me/zwn me/zoj minute (sing. minuta2 – minutai) = type of grain – or – Mi/nute\ <- Mi/noste\ = and Minos mireja mhle/a = apple tree -or- mh/leia (gen. sing.) = belonging to a sheep miru mh=lon = a sheep or goat -or- mh1lon = apple, tree fruit mirutarare = sheep pen? -or- apple orchard? naka na/ka (arch. acc) <- na/koj = sheep’s fleece nea ne/a = new Cf. Linear B ne/#a = new pa3ni/pa3nina/pa3niwi = millet -or- spelt pa3qe -or- qepa3 i.e. paiqe -or- qepai (+ ideogram for “wheat”) = a kind of grain similar to wheat paja/pajai/pajare = contracted, indentured, hired? para para\ = beside, from beside, by the side of, beyond etc. pasarija = pa=sa + rija = all-encompassing, international? pura2 = a type of grain qanuma = a type of grain qareto = lease field? Cf. Linear B onato qaqisenuti xalkei/a=senuti = with bronze craftsmanship qera2u/qera2wa = a type of grain, probably millet or spelt qeria = probably millet or spelt reza = standard unit of linear measurement rima lei=mac = garden -or- lei=mma = remnant, remains -or- lh=mma = income, receipts (dative/instrumental plural) ruma/rumu/rumata/rumatase lu=matase <- lu=ma = offscourings from grain, i.e chaff sara2 (sarai)/sarara/saru = flax saro/saru/sarutu sa/ron = broom, threshing floor sato sa/ton = Hebrew unit of measurement. sedina = celery Cf. Linear B serino se/linon seikama = seika/ma = a unit of land dedicated to a/the goddess setamaru = something to do with wool/spun wool? sika shka/ (arch. acc.) <- shko/j = fold, enclosure; (sheep) pen; sacred precinct, shrine = <- zhka/zw = to pen in Cf. Linear B periqoro peri/boloj = sheep pen Sikine TOP loc. sing. of Sikinos -or- OM = a type of grain simita = mouse (arch. acc.) simito/simitu PGS = zmi/nqoj mouse sitetu See situ below situ si/tu si/tun = wheat Cf. Linear B sito si/ton suniku (common) su/noiku <- su/noikoj living together, joint inhabitant, dweller suzu su/zuc = yoked together; paired Cf. Linear B zeukesi zeu/gesi = yoked (instr. pl.) taikama taika/ma = a unit of land, something like an acre? ta2re/ta2reki sta=rei<- stai=j wheaten flour mixed into dough + tasise sta/sisei tai2si (taisi) stai=sei <- stai=j = with wheaten flour mixed into a dough (instr. pl.) teke/teki = small unit of measurement for wine @ 27 1/2 units per tereza tereza = liquid unit of measurement terikama te/leika/ma = extent of land, i.e. something like acreage, lit. land to its extent or boundary tero/teroa te/loj = end, boundary Tumitizase TOP -or- = linen Cf. Linear B rino li/non udiriki u3driki <- u3droj = with water ukare = sowing or harvesting Uminase TOP Cf. Linear B Aminiso = harbour waja #ai/a = earth, land Flowers/fruit/spices etc: adakisika a0dakissi/ka = adorned with ivory adoro a1doroj = receiving no gifts; unpaid; giving no gifts akumina a0ku/mina = without cumin? (arch. acc.) amawasi a3mai#asi = with violets asidatoi a0si/datoi = without pomegranate (dat. sing.) atade a1ttade = from father ditamana = dittany dudama = a kind of fruit = dates? (found in context with figs) ia i0a/ (n. pl.) = an arrow (sing.) & i1a (n. pl.) = violets/ija See i0a/ (n. pl.) = an arrow (sing.) & i1a (n. pl.) = violets (variation) kanaka kna/ka (arch. acc. of respect) = saffron Cf Linear B kanako kna/koj kapa/kapaqe/kapate/kapi karpa/ (arch. acc.) + karpa/te\ = fruit, and fruit, with fruit -or- kara kera/kero ke/raj = horn (ivory) -or- khr/oj = bees-wax Cf. Linear B kera kikina = some kind of fruit, quite likely grapes (from context) kireza = measurement of figs = 1 basket of figs carried on a shoulder kitai/kitei = kestai/ kestei/ = embroidered (lit.), but in context = basketry, basket(s) kupari ku/pairi (instr. sing.) <- ku/pairoj = marsh-plant used to feed horses, galingale or ginger kuruku kro/koj = crocus, saffron mera mela/j = black - or – me/la (arch. accus.) = honey merasasaa/merasasaja (very common) = something to do with honey/ honeycomb or honey drink? meto mesto/j = full, filled mireja mhle/a = apple tree -or- mh/leia (gen. sing.) = belonging to a sheep miru mh=lon = a sheep or goat -or- mh1lon = apple, tree fruit mirutarare = sheep pen? -or- apple orchard? mita mi/nqa = mint Cf. Linear B mita muru mu/ron = sweet oil extracted from plants; sweet oil; unguent; perfume Cf. Linear B musaja nira2 (nirai) -or- nita2 (nisai) OM = figs + ideogram = NI (in both Linear A & B) oteja o1steia <- o1streia = oyster pigment; oyster purple Cf. Linear B otawero o1streioj para para\ = beside, from beside, by the side of, beyond etc. patane OM = lentils? (fem. pl.) pimata PGS = pimento pita/pitaja pista/kion = pistachio-nut pitakase/pitakesi pista/kesi = with pistachio-nuts (instr. pl.) punikaso funi/kasoj = crimson, red (of wine) Cf. Linear B ponikiya ponikiyo foini/kioj = crimson ra2ri (rairi) = lily rima = lei=mac = garden -or- lei=mma = remnant, remains -or- lh=mma = income, receipts (dative/instrumental plural) rimisi See above (instr. pl.) rosa = rose rosirasiro = rosebush? sasame sasa/me = sesame Cf. Linear B sasa/ma sedina = celery Cf. Linear B serino se/linon tuma/tumei/tumi qumi/a = incense turunu qo/rnoj = throne Cf. Linear B tono qo/rnoj unana = penny royal? uro ou0=loj = entire, total. Cf. kuro ku=rwn = reaching, attaining i.e. = total waja #ai/a = earth, land Military: ia i0a/ (n. pl.) = an arrow (sing.) & i1a (n. pl.) = violets/ija See i0a/ (n. pl.) = an arrow (sing.) & i1a (n. pl.) = violets (variation) ima i9ma/c = leather strap, thong; lash of a whip ira2 i1la=i = troops, companies, squadrons kara kara/ = head Cf. Linear B kara(pi) kara/afi kipisi ci/fisi <- ci/foj = with swords (instr. pl.) kito xitw/n = chiton Cf. Linear B kito koiru koi/ru <- koi/roj = hollow (ships) koru ko/ruj = helmet Cf. Linear B koru kuro/kurotu ku=roj = supreme power, authority & ku=rwn = reaching, attaining i.e. = total Cf. Linear B tosa to/sa kuto/kutu ku/toj = shield, cuirass qaro ba=lo/j = threshold qero be/loj = arrow, dart radu r9a/bdu <- r9a/bdoj = rod, switch; spear-staff or shaft ra2ti (raiti) r9aisth/r = a hammer, crusher sama/samaro sama/ro = burial ground Cf. Linear B Sama/ra sama/ra = place name -or- monument -or- grave mound OR sa/meron = today sere -or- rese seirei/ <- seira/ = with a cord or rope (instrumental sing.) tarasa = sea Cf. Linear B tarasa qa/lassa toraka qw/rac = breastplate, cuirass = Linear B toraka toro tau/roj = bull -or- qolo/j = dome or circular vault; vaulted building zuma zw=ma girdle, belt; girded tunic Pottery/vessels: aresana a1leisana <- a1leison = an embossed cup (arch. acc.) = de/paj (Homeric) Cf. Linear B dipa/arisu a1leisu <- a1leison = embossed cup daqera = a type of vase? darida = large vase, slightly smaller than a pithos daropa = stirrup jar depa/depu de/paj de/pu (acc.?)= cup Cf. Linear B dipa di/paj & Homeric de/pa dipa3a (dipaia) di/paia <- di/paj de/paj = from a cup dipaja di/paia <- di/paj de/paj = from a cup (alternate?) ipinama/ipinamina i0pneume/na (fem. sing.) = baked (bread)
itisapuko i1tija = round + pu/coj = box-wood -or- NMOM i1tija = round + puko = tripod = round tripod Cf. puko below
kadi kadi/ (instr. sing.) <- ka/doj = with a jar or vessel for water or wine kadusi ka/dusi <= ka/doj = with buckets or pails (instr. pl.) kairo kairo/j = due measure kaki/kaku xalku/ <- xalko/j = copper, bronze kakunete = bronze alloy - or – crafted in bronze karopa2 (karopai) = kylix with 2 handles-or- ka/rdoph = wooden vessel/vase kataro ka/nqa=roj = scarab (Egyptian) + drinking cup kera/kero ke/raj = horn (ivory) -or- khr/oj = bees-wax Cf. Linear B kera meto mesto/j = full, filled meza me/za (fem. sing.) = greater, bigger Cf. Linear B mezo me/zwn me/zoj nere = larger amphora size (fem. plural) posa po/sa= (arch. acc.) <- poi/si=j = drink(ing), beverage -or- po/sa <- po/soj = how great, how much, of what value? posi -or- sipo posi/ = on, upon Cf. Linear B posi -or- sipo = si/fwn = reed, straw, siphon puko= tripod Cf. Linear B pukoso pu/coj = box-wood. Apparently unrelated qapa3 (qapai) = (large) handle-less vase or amphora qapaja/qapajanai qapaja (genitive sing. of qapa3 (qapai)) qaqisenuti xalkei/a=senuti = with bronze craftsmanship qedi = a flagon (for wine) qeti (instr. sing.)/qetiradu = a very large pot, pithos Cf. Linear B PGS qeto pi/qoj supa3 (supai)/supa3ra (supaira) =small cup with handles Cf. Linear B dipa mewiyo supi/supu/supu2 = largest size pithos -or- supu/h sipu/h sipu/a i0pu/a = meal tub = suropa = some kind of vase? tisa = pottery worker/working on pottery/pottery wheel (tourney) Religious: ara a0ra/ = a prayer araju a0ra=u <- a0ra=oj = prayed for arati a0ra=ti/ <- a0ra/toj = with something unblessed Cf. makarite ― below atanate a0qa/na=te = with an immortal (instr. sing.) damate Da/mate = Damater Cf. Linear B Damate -or- da/matei = in the village dare da=lei/ <- da=lo/j = (with) a firebrand or torch/daro LIG da=lo/j = firebrand dewa -or- wide de/#a = goddess? dija/dije Di/ #a Cf. Linear B Diwija Di#i/a = priestess of Zeus dumitatira2 (dumitatirai) = left or right side of a spindle? (or verso) dura2 dou/lai = slaves (fem.) Cf. Linear B doera doe/la esija e3sti/a = hearth of a house Idamate/Idamete 0Idama/te = Mother goddess of Mount Ida Idarea 0Idar9ea = Rhea, goddess of Mount Ida ijate i0a/ter = doctor, physician Cf. Linear iyate i0a/ter iruja i0e/ruia = priestess Cf. Linear B iyereya i0e/reia jamauti i1amauti = as a means of healing <- i1ama i1amatoj = healing, remedy jarisapa = some kind of dress? Cf. Linear B sapa jasaja 0Ia=sai/a <- 0Ia=sw/ of/from the goddess of healing and health jasidara i0a=sida=la/ = healing torch/firebrand (arch. acc.) jate/jateo i0a=th/r = physician jatimane i0a=th/j mannei= = with the bread of healing mana/manapi (common) Hebrew manna= = (of spiritual food) bread from heaven, the supernatural food eaten by the Israelites in the desert maza/mazu ma=za = kneaded or unbaked bread, barley bread/cake miturea mi/toj 9Re/a= thread of a warp for Rhea narepirea narepir9e/a = Rhea, goddess of the snake/ snake goddess? pimitatira2 (pimitatirai) = right of left side of a spindle? -or- verso qajo ba/i"on = a palm branch (Kafkania pebble) ranatusu (agglutinative?) -or- r9anatusu < - r9anti/zw = to cleanse, purify rani r9a=ni/j = anything sprinkled (as in a libation); rain drop See also ratise ratise (ritise?) = la/tise <- la/taj = with drops of wine (instr. pl.) rea r9e/a = goddess, Rhea sea/sei se/a se/ei (dat. sing.) = snake goddess (from K. Bouzanis) seikama= seika/ma = a unit of land dedicated to a/the goddess taro tau=roj = bull tejai qei/ai = goddesses tuma/tumei/tumi qumi/a = incense turunu qo/rnoj = throne Cf. Linear B tono qo/rnoj wanaka = king wireu #i0eru/ <- #i0ero/j = priest Cf. Linear B iyero i0ero/j Textiles: arako a0ra/c = weaver Cf. Linear B arakateya a0laka/teiai = weavers
arakokuzu = weaver’s establishment?
Trees:
datu = olive tree
keda = cedar
kidapa = ash wood? (a type of wood) Appears only on Linear B tablet KN 894 N v 01
kidaro kidaro ke/dron = juniper berry-or- kedri/a = oil of cedar Cf. Linear B kidaro
kitanasija/kitanasijase kitanisija (gen. sing.) ki/rtanasia <- ki/rtanoj = terebinth tree Cf. Linear B kitano ki/rtanoj
tarawita = terebinth tree Cf. Linear B kitano ki/rtanoj & timito ti/rminqoj
tarina qalli/na (arch. acc.) <- qallo/j = a young shoot, twig; festive olive-branch
Wine:
aka -or- kaa a0ska/ (arch. acc.) <- a0sko/j = leather bag, wine skin
apero a1mpeloj = a vine Cf. Linear B apero
kupazu kou/fazu <- kou/fazoj = light (of wine)
kuqani = a type of (fine) wine
kuwa -or- waku ku/#a = girl Cf. Linear B kowa ko/#a – or – #a0sku/ <- #a0sko/j = leather bag or wineskin
punikaso funi/kasoj = crimson, red (of wine) Cf. Linear B ponikiya ponikiyo foini/kioj = crimson
qesizue (plural) = wine goblets?
ratise (ritise?) = la/tise <- la/taj = with drops of wine (instr. pl.)
unaa oi0nai/a = wine vessel, wine jug, wine jar
winadu #i1nadu = vineyard Cf. Linear B winado
winu #i/nu = wine Cf. Linear B wono #oi/noj
winumatari #i/numa/tari = wine dedicated to Mother Earth
ONOTOP:
Adunitana
Akanu/Akanuzati OP A0rxa/nej = Archanes (Crete)
Arenesidi
Asasumaino
Asasumaise
Asuja Cf Linear B Asiwiya A0si/#ia
Demirirema
Dawa = place name Cf. LB dawo Da/#oj / Da/#on
Dikate = Mount Dikte Cf. Linear B Dikatade Diktai/oj
Dupu3re Cf. Linear B Dupu2razo Dupurai/zoj
Ida/Idaa/Idada/Idapa3 = Mount Ida
Idunesi
Ikurina
Inajapaqa
Itinisa = female resident of Itanos?
Izurinita
Kana/kanatiti/kanau Kanna
Kanijami Kaniamis (female name)?
Ketesunata
Kina Kinna
Kiso Kissos
Kosaiti Cf. Linear B Kutaito Ku/taistoj (not necessarily the same place)
Masuja
Mekidi Megi/di <- Me/gaj = the Great
Mesenurutu
Midemidiu
Pamanuita
Raja/Raju 9Rai/a = Raia Cf. Linear B Raja
rea PGS r9e/a = goddess, Rhea
Rujamime
Rukito
Seimasusaa
Setoija
Sewaude
Sezanitao
Sikira/Sikirita
Sima
Suria
Tainaro
Ta2rimarusi
Tejare TOP Cf. Linear B Tejaro qei/aroj = place of the gods?
Tita = Ti=ta/n
Uminase
Waduna
Wadunimi
Wasatomaro
Zadeu
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The pristine beauty of Canada. Lac Philippe. Only 40 km. outside Ottawa, the Capital City
The pristine beauty of Canada. Lac Philippe. Only 40 km. outside Ottawa, the Capital City:
The most beautiful and one of the most peaceful countries on Earth. The entire country looks like this! Impressive eh!
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AND here are some close-up & personal photos of my neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada’s Capital City!
AND here are some close-up & personal photos of my neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada’s Capital City!
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Minoan Linear A terms deciphered with a high degree of certainty thus account for 37 % of all Minoan Linear A terms I have attempted to decipher. They also account for 9 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms
A Glossary of 126 Minoan Linear A words more or less accurately deciphered to date (the largest ever glossary of Linear A) accounting for at least 24.7 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms in Prof. John G. Younger?s Linear A Liner A texts in phonetic transcription = 510. Terms deciphered with a high degree of certainty thus account for 37 % of all Minoan Linear A terms I have attempted to decipher. They also account for 9 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms in Prof. John G. Younger’s:That is a pretty good return. All terms in Minoan Linear A and in Mycenaean Linear B have been Latinized for ease of access to persons not familiar with these syllabaries. aka = wineskin (two syllabograms overlaid) akii = garlic darida = large vase daropa = stirrup jar = Linear B karawere daweda = medium size amphora with two handles 5 ditamana = dittany (medicinal herb) kanaka = saffron = Linear B kanako karopa3 (karopai) = kylix (with two handles & smaller than a pithos) keda = cedar kidema*323na = type of vessel (truncated on HT 31)10 kireta2 (kiritai) = delivery = Linear B apudosis kiretana = (having been) delivered (past participle passive) = Linear B amoiyeto kiro = owed = Linear B oporo = they owed kuro = total kuruku = crocus 15 maru = wool (syllabograms superimposed) = Linear B mari/mare nere = larger amphora size orada = rose pazeqe = small handle-less cups = Linear B dipa anowe, dipa anowoto puko = tripod = Linear B tiripode (100 % certain) 20 qapa3 = qapai = large handle-less vase or amphora quqani = medium size or smaller amphora ra2ri = rairi = lily sajamana = with handles = Linear B owowe sedina = celery 25 supa3 (supai) = small cup = Linear B dipa mewiyo supu = very large amphora tarawita = terebinth tree 28 Eponyms: Adunitana Akaru 30 Asiyaka Danekuti Daqera Ikurina Makarita 35 Mirutarare Qetiradu Sirumarita2 = Sirumaritai Turunuseme Watumare 40 Toponyms: Almost all the toponyms do not require decipherment as they are either identical or almost identical in Mycenaean Linear B: Akanu = Archanes (Crete) Dikate = Mount Dikte Idaa = Mount Ida Idunesi Kato = (Linear B Zakoro)45 Kudoni = Kydonia Meza (= Linear B Masa) Paito = Phaistos ( =Linear B) Radu = Lato (= Linear B Rato) Setoiya (= Linear B Seteia) 50 Sukirita/Sukiriteija = Sybrita Winadu = Linear B Inato 52 COMMENTARY: This Glossary accounts for at least 24.7 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms. There are 45 terms deciphered with a high degree of certainty (> 75 %). These terms thus account for 37 % of all Minoan Linear A terms I have attempted to decipher. They also account for 9 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms in Prof. John G. Younger’s Lexicon. As for eponyms and toponyms, I can only claim to have deciphered no more than 10 %, since they are so obvious and since so many of them are almost identical to their Mycenaean Linear B counterparts, in those cases where the latter exist. All of my decipherments operate on The principle of cross-correlative cohesion on the assumption that terms in Minoan Linear A vocabulary should reflect as closely and as faithfully as possible parallel terms in Mycenaean Greek vocabulary. In other words, the English translations of Minoan words in a Minoan Linear A Glossary such as this one should look as if they are English translations of Mycenaean Greek terms in a Linear B glossary. I have endeavoured to do my best to achieve this goal, but even the most rational and logical approach, such as I take, does not and cannot guarantee reciprocity between Minoan Linear A and Mycenaean Linear B terms. It is precisely for this reason that I have had to devise a scale of relative accuracy for terms in this Linear A Glossary. The best and most reliable Linear B Lexicon is that by Chris Tselentis, Athens, Greece. If you wish to receive a copy of his Lexicon, please leave a comment in Comments, with some way for me to get in touch with you.
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10 Mycenaean Linear B & Minoan Linear A words for plants & spices (grand total = 27)
10 Mycenaean Linear B & Minoan Linear A words for plants & spices (grand total = 27):This chart lists 10 Mycenaean Linear B & Minoan Linear A words for plants & spices, with the Linear B in the left column, its Minoan Linear A in the middle column, and the English translation in the right column. It should be noted that I had to come up with a few Mycenaean Linear B words for plants on my own, because they are nowhere attested on Linear B tablets, regardless of provenance. Nevertheless, the spellings I have attributed to these words are probably correct. See the chart above. While most Mycenaean Linear B words and their Minoan Linear A words are equivalent, some are quite unalike. For instance, we have serino for celery in Mycenaean Greek and sedina in Minoan, and kitano in Mycenaean Greek versus tarawita in Minoan. There is a critical distinction to be made between Minoan Linear A kuruku, which means crocus, from which saffron is derived, and kanako, its diminutive, referring to its derivative, saffron, which is identical in form and meaning to its Mycenaean Linear B counterpart. The ultimate termination U in Minoan Linear A always refers to larger objects. Hence, kuruku must mean “crocus” while its diminutive, kanako, means “saffron”, just as in Mycenaean Greek. This latter discovery is my own. I wish to emphasize as strongly as I can that I did not decipher these words in Minoan Linear A. Previous researchers were able to do so by the process of regressive extrapolation in most of the cases. Regressive extrapolation is the process whereby later words in a known language, in this case Mycenaean Greek, are regressively extrapolated to what philologists consider to have been their earlier equivalents in a more ancient language, in this case, the Minoan language, which is the best candidate which can be readily twinned with Mycenaean Greek. The primary reason why all of these words can be matched up (relatively) closely in the Minoan language and in Mycenaean Greek is that they are all pre-Indo-European. In other words, Mycenaean Greek inherited most of the words you see in this chart from the Minoan language. It is understood that these words are not Greek words at all, not even in Mycenaean Greek. Almost all of them survived into classical Greek, and are still in use in modern languages. For instance, in English, we have: cedar, celery, cypress, dittany, lily & olive oil, all of which can be traced back as far as the Minoan language (ca. 3,800 – 3,500 BCE), or some 5,800 years ago. It is to be noted, however, that I am the first philologist to have ever written out these words in both the Linear A and Linear B syllabaries. This brings the total number of Minoan Linear A words we have deciphered to at least 27.
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Alan Turing & Michael Ventris: a Comparison of their Handwriting
Alan Turing & Michael Ventris: a Comparison of their Handwriting I have always been deeply fascinated by Alan Turing and Michael Ventris alike, and for obvious reasons. Primarily, these are two geniuses cut from pretty much the same cloth. The one, Alan Turing, was a cryptologist who lead the team at Bletchley Park, England, during World War II in deciphering the German military’s Enigma Code, while the other, Michael Ventris, an architect by profession, and a decipherment expert by choice, deciphered Mycenaean Linear B in 1952. Here are their portraits. Click on each one to ENLARGE:
Having just recently watched the splendid movie, The Imitation Game, with great pleasure and with an eye to learning as much more as I possibly could about one of my two heroes (Alan Turing), I decided to embark on an odyssey to discover more about each of these geniuses of the twentieth century. I begin my investigation of their lives, their personalities and their astounding achievements with a comparison of their handwriting. I was really curious to see whether there was anything in common with their handwriting, however you wish to approach it. It takes a graphologist, a specialist in handwriting analysis, to make any real sense of such a comparison. But for my own reasons, which pertain to a better understanding of the personalities and accomplishments of both of my heroes, I would like to make a few observations of my own on their handwriting, however amateurish. Here we have samples of their handwriting, first that of Alan Turing: Click to ENLARGE
and secondly, that of Michael Ventris: Click to ENLARGE
A few personal observations: Scanning through the samples of their handwriting, I of course was looking for patterns, if any could be found. I think I found a few which may prove of some interest to many of you who visit our blog, whether you be an aficionado or expert in graphology, cryptography, the decipherment of ancient language scripts or perhaps someone just interested in writing, codes, computer languages or anything of a similar ilk. Horizontal and Vertical Strokes: 1. The first thing I noticed were the similarities and differences between the way each of our geniuses wrote the word, “the”. While the manner in which each of them writes “the” is obviously different, what strikes me is that in both cases, the letter “t” is firmly stroked in both the vertical and horizontal planes. The second thing that struck me was that both Turing and Ventris wrote the horizontal t bar with an emphatic stroke that appears, at least to me, to betray the workings of a mathematically oriented mind. In effect, their “t”s are strikingly similar. But this observation in and of itself is not enough to point to anything remotely conclusive. 2. However, if we can observe the same decisive vertical (—) and horizontal (|) strokes in other letter formations, there might be something to this. Observation of Alan Turing’s lower-case “l” reveals that it is remarkably similar to that of Michael Ventris, although the Ventris “l” is always a single decisive stroke, with no loop in it, whereas Turing waffles between the single stroke and the open loop “l”. While their “f”s look very unalike at first glance, once again, that decisive horizontal stroke makes its appearance. Yet again, in the letter “b”, though Turing has it closed and Ventris has it open, the decisive stroke, in this case vertical, re-appears. So I am fairly convinced we have something here indicative of their mathematical genius. Only a graphologist would be in a position to forward this observation as a hypothesis. Circular and Semi-Circular Strokes: 3. Observing now the manner in which each individual writes curves (i.e. circular and semi-circular strokes), upon examining their letter “s”, we discover that both of them write “s” almost exactly alike! The most striking thing about the way in which they both write “s” is that they flatten out the curves in such a manner that they appear almost linear. The one difference I noticed turns out to be Alan Turing’s more decisive slant in his “s”, but that suggests to me that, if anything, his penchant for mathematical thought processes is even more marked than that of Michael Ventris. It is merely a difference in emphasis rather than in kind. In other words, the difference is just a secondary trait, over-ridden by the primary characteristic of the semi-circle flattened almost to the linear. But once again, we have to ask ourselves, does this handwriting trait re-appear in other letters consisting in whole or in part of various avatars of the circle and semi-circle? 4. Let’s see. Turning to the letter “b”, we notice right away that the almost complete circle in this letter appears strikingly similar in both writers. This observation serves to reinforce our previous one, where we drew attention to the remarkable similarities in the linear characteristics of the same letter. Their “c”s are almost identical. However, in the case of the vowel “a”, while the left side looks very similar, Turing always ends his “a”s with a curve, whereas the same letter as Ventris writes it terminates with another of those decisive strokes, this time vertically. So in this instance, it is Ventris who resorts to the more mathematical stoke, not Turing. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Overall Observations: While the handwriting styles of Alan Turing and Michael Ventris do not look very much alike when we take a look, prime facie, at a complete sample overall, in toto, closer examination reveals a number of striking similarities, all of them geometrical, arising from the disposition of linear strokes (horizontal & vertical) and from circular and semi-circular strokes. In both cases, the handwriting of each of these individual geniuses gives a real sense of the mathematical and logical bent of their intellects. Or at least as it appears to me. Here the old saying of not being able to see the forest for the trees is reversed. If we merely look at the forest alone, i.e. the complete sample of the handwriting of either Alan Turing or Michael Ventris, without zeroing in on particular characteristics (the trees), we miss the salient traits which circumscribe their less obvious, but notable similarities. General observation of any phenomenon, let alone handwriting, without taking redundant, recurring specific prime characteristics squarely into account, inexorably leads to false conclusions. Yet, for all of this, and in spite of the apparently convincing explicit observations I have made on the handwriting styles of Alan Turing and Michael Ventris, I am no graphologist, so it is probably best we take what I say with a grain of salt. Still, the exercise was worth my trouble. I am never one to pass up such a challenge. Be it as it may, I sincerely believe that a full-fledged professional graphological analysis of the handwriting of our two genius decipherers is bound to reveal something revelatory of the very process of decipherment itself, as a mental and cognitive construct. I leave it to you, professional graphologists. Of course, this very premise can be extrapolated and generalized to any field of research, linguistic, technological or scientific, let alone the decipherment of military codes or of ancient language scripts. Many more fascinating posts on the lives and achievements of Alan Turing and Michael Ventris to come! Richard
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