The Kep Sounds

[George Miller]

Aside from the presumption that Joseph is the sole or primary source for the sounds, I found your analysis quite fascinating and resonate with where my mind is going on this. I had also made the connection between Zi and "woman", but I hadn't yet considered "zi" and "e" in combination. Your conclusion taste good to me. [thumbs up]

Fun stuff!

You are more than welcome Wade.

[wenglund]

Even though the meaning of "E" had to be induced, there are several phonemes that are explicitly explained in the EA and GAEL.

For example, there is "Ah", which is explained in the EA's as: "The first being who exercises supreme power."

In the GAEL, however, this phoneme is change to a compound sound "Ah lish". It is explained in the different degrees as:

D1) the name of the first being

D2) The name of the first Being: supreme intelligence

D3) Supreme power

D4) The first being clothed with supreme glory

D5) The first being - supreme intellegence; supreme power; supreme glory- supreme Justice; supreme mercy, without beginning of life or end of life, comprehending all things, seeing all things - the invisible and eternal godhead.

There is also the case with "Pha." In the EA's, it is explained as: "A more universal reign, having greater dominion, or power."

However, in the GAEL, this sound is changed from Pha to "Phah ah," making it a composite sound. here is how it is explained in the different degrees:

D1) a more universal reign

D2) Having greater dominion, or possession or power

D3) Having still greater dominion, or possession or power

D4) Extending the dominion, possession and power still further

D5) The largest riegn, the greatest dominion, possessions or power.

Why these first two phonemes in the EA's were changed to compound sounds in the EA's is anyone's guess. Neither show up in other composite sounds. At the very least, it appears to mark an academic evolution in thinking on the part of the project developers.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited August 18, 2011 by wenglund

[wenglund]

Here are some phonemes that were explicitly explained in the EA's, though which weren't altered to become composite sounds in the GAEL:

"Zi"

E-D!) Virgin, unmarried, virtuous, or the principle of virtue

G-D1) virgin or an unmarried female

G-D2) The principle of virtue - a young female adorned with the modesty of virtue and comeliness

G-D3) Affability of manners, virtuous well taugh

G-D4) One possessing greater beauty, modesty and virtue, taught more perfectl

G-D5) most virtuous, comely and beautiful, modest and chaste, being taught most perfectly and upright

"ZuB"

E-D1) The first creation of any thing or first institution

G-D1) The first creation of any thing: the first institution, first principle

G-D2) Pointing to that which has been created To the first institution or first principle

G-D3) Pointing to that which is to come, pointing to any fixed period

G-D4) Having gone up to some particular place; for the act of going up to going up, climbing, ascending - towards the Su

G-D5) A road or highway; leading up or to: the time for going up to the altar to worship; going up before the Lord, being caught up, going to be caught up, having been caught up

-continued-

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[wenglund]

-continued-

"Zool"

E-D1) From any fixed period of time back to the begining

G-D1) From any fixed period of time back to the beginning

G-D2) From Abraham back to his father and from Abraham's father back to his father and so on back through the line of his progenitors

G-D3) Showing the denomination of language and through what descent they came and are to continue by promise

G-D4) Signifying the lineage that lawfully hold the Keys of the Kindgom of God by promise

G-D5) from any or some fixed period of time back to the beginning of Creation Showing the chronology of the patriarchs the right of the priesthood, and the lineage through whom it shall be continued by promise, beginning at Abraham signifying the promises made to Abraham saying through thy priests, or the seed of thy loins, shall the gospel shall be preached, unto all the seed meaning from Noah, and unto all the kindreds of the earth

"Beth"

E-D1) Man's first residence, a fruitful garden a great valley

G-D1) man's first residence

G-D2) a large garden, a large vally or a large plain filled with fruit trees and flows. When unconnected to other names: Chaldee

G-D3) good to the taste, pleasing to the eye

G-D4) Sweet and precious to the smell

G-D5) place of happiness, purity, holiness & rest

-continued-

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[wenglund]

-continued-

"Oan" (

E-D1) The earth

G-D1) The Earth

G-D2) The first of anything

G-D3) Before some other time

G-D4) pointing to some particular subject

G-D5) [None given]

"Iota"

E-D1) Eyes - to see - sight, sometimes Me, myself

G-D1) The eye, or I see

G-D2) To see. Seen or sight

G-D3) Sight. I shall or will see that which is to com

G-D4) me myself.

G-D5) see, saw seeing or having seen. see, saw, seeing, or having seen or having been seen

There are also phonemes in the GAEL that said to represent a compound sound or another phoneme when compounded:

"Ki" (Same as "Iota")

"Hi" (Same as "Beth")

"Ash" (Same as "Zub Zool Oan")

This should give us something to work with in determining how well the English explanations match the phonemes when combined into composite sounds/explanations.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[wenglund]

Having set the foundation for the meaning of certain individual phonemes, let's now compare them to the meaning of composite sounds that include the individual phonemes.

Let's begin with "Zub Zool," and to simplify things, let's start by comparing the meanings in the GAEL 1st degree.

Zub: "The first creation of any thing: the first institution, first principle."

Zool: "From any fixed period of time back to the beginning."

Zub Zool: "From the first to any stated period after."

The meaning of the composite sound doesn't appear to match perfectly the combined meaning of the individual sounds. This may be because Zub marks the BEGINNING of a time period that is the same as the END point of Zool. So, evidently,m when Zub is combined with Zool (particularly if zub phoneme comes after Zool when read from right to left) in the first degree, it inverts the reference point and direction for the same time period as Zool (from a fixed time period forward to the first, to the first back towards a fixed time period).

Does this holds true for the 5th degree?

Zub: "A road or highway; leading up or to: the time for going up to the altar to worship; going up before the Lord, being caught up, going to be caught up, having been caught up."

Zool: "from any or some fixed period of time back to the beginning of Creation Showing the chronology of the patriarchs the right of the priesthood, and the lineage through whom it shall be continued by promise, beginning at Abraham signifying the promises made to Abraham saying through thy priests, or the seed of thy loins, shall the gospel shall be preached, unto all the seed meaning from Noah, and unto all the kindreds of the earth."

Zub Zool: "From the beginning of the creation until now; pointing out or designating at the present time; having foreordained, or decreed or having before seen: For instance: Abraham having been chosen before was sent by commandment into the Land of Canaan: Having preached the gospel unto the heathen, was fore warned of God to go down into Ah meh-strah, or Egypt, and preach the gospel unto the Ah meh strahans."

Depending upon which connotation one is assessing, it does appear that by combining Zub to Zool, the time period for consideration is inverted from last towards first, to first towards last. This presents some interesting overtones to Christ's prophecy in Mt. 20:16. It also appears to change the perspective from what was foreseen and fore-ordained, to what has thus far been fulfilled and accomplished.

In short, by combining the phonemes in this instance, one doesn't get combined meanings, but rather change in meaning or an added perspective and layers of meaning, synergistic meaning.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[wenglund]

Having looked at "Oan" and "Zub" and "Zool" and "Zub Zool", I will now look at "Zub Zool Oan", starting with the GAEL first degree:

Zub: The first creation of any thing: the first institution, first principle

Zool: From any fixed period of time back to the beginning

Zub Zool: From the first to any stated period after

Oan: The Earth

Zub Zool Oan: The beginning of time

By combining the Phonemes "Zub" and "Zool" and "Oam", or or the composit sound "Zub Zool" with the phoneme "Oan", in the first degree, it doesn't appear that the associated explanation for the composite sound reflects the combined explanations of the individual phonemes. In fact, the explanation for "Zub Zool Oan" looks to be a subset of the explanation for "Zub." The explanation for "Zool" or "Zub Zool" and "Oan" appear to be conspicuously absent, thus suggesting in this case that there is a poor relationship between the sounds and explanations.

Let's see if the same holds true in the fifth degree:

Zub: A road or highway; leading up or to: the time for going up to the altar to worship; going up before the Lord, being caught up, going to be caught up, having been caught up.

Zool: rom any or some fixed period of time back to the beginning of Creation Showing the chronology of the patriarchs the right of the priesthood, and the lineage through whom it shall be continued by promise, beginning at Abraham signifying the promises made to Abraham saying through thy priests, or the seed of thy loins, shall the gospel shall be preached, unto all the seed meaning from Noah, and unto all the kindreds of the earth.

Zub Zool: From the beginning of the creation until now; pointing out or designating at the present time; having foreordained, or decreed or having before seen: For instance: Abraham having been chosen before was sent by commandment into the Land of Canaan: Having preached the gospel unto the heathen, was fore warned of God to go down into Ah meh-strah, or Egypt, and preach the gospel unto the Ah meh strahans

Oan: pointing to some particular subject

Zub Zool Oan: The first born, or the first man or father or fathers

Here, again, in the fifth degree it appears that the explanation for the composite sound "Zub Zool Oan" doesn't match the combined explanations of the respective phonemes "Zub" and "Zool" and "Oan" or "Zub Zool" and "Oan".

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[LeSellers]

Here, again, in the fifth degree it appears that the explanation for the composite sound "Zub Zool Oan" doesn't match the combined explanations of the respective phonemes "Zub" and "Zool" and "Oan" or "Zub Zool" and "Oan".

I admit I'm not getting most of this.

That said, I wonder if all the syllables in any given "word" must be of the same degree. If not, then we might see Zub (5) Zool (3) Oan (1), and the meaning would be very different from Zub (5) Zool (5) Oan (5), which you address here. (Please pardon my idiosyncratic convention. I hope it's intelligible.)

Lehi

[wenglund]

Let's go one step further and look at the composite sounds that include "Zub Zool Oan" or it's compound equivalent "Ash," Starting in the EA, first degree, the sound "Zub Zool Oan Eh":

Zub: The first creation of any thing or first institution

Zool: From any fixed period of time back to the beginning

Oan: The earth

Zub eh: To be in - as light in the earth

Zub Zool: from the first to any stated period after

Zub Zool Oan (or Ash): The begining, first, before appointing to.

Zub Zool Oan Eh: In the beginning of the earth, or Creation

There appears to be a somewhat strong correlation between the explanations for "Zub" and "Oan" and Zub Eh" and "Zub Zool Oan" and "Zub Zool Oan Eh." and less so for "Zool" and "Zub Zool."

However, the composite sound "Zub Zool Oan Eh" only appears in EA WWP. It was evidently changed in subsequent versions (EA JS and EA OC and the GAEL) to "Zub Zool Eh," which is interesting given that the one phoneme which specifically referred to the earth ("Oan") was dropped from the revised composite sound, and "the earth" figures prominently in the explanations for "Zub Zool Eh" in degrees 1 - 3 of the GAEL. Here, though, is a breakout of explanations in the GAEL fifth degree:

Zub: A road or highway; leading up or to: the time for going up to the altar to worship; going up before the Lord, being caught up, going to be caught up, having been caught up.

Zool: from any or some fixed period of time back to the beginning of Creation Showing the chronology of the patriarchs the right of the priesthood, and the lineage through whom it shall be continued by promise, beginning at Abraham signifying the promises made to Abraham saying through thy priests, or the seed of thy loins, shall the gospel shall be preached, unto all the seed meaning from Noah, and unto all the kindreds of the earth.

Zub Eh: Having been within - in the earth - in the sea; in anything; being applied to any condition or situation, to express on thing or principle or being in another.

Zub Zool: From the beginning of the creation until now; pointing out or designating at the present time; having foreordained, or decreed or having before seen: For instance: Abraham having been chosen before was sent by commandment into the Land of Canaan: Having preached the gospel unto the heathen, was fore warned of God to go down into Ah meh-strah, or Egypt, and preach the gospel unto the Ah meh strahans or Egypt, and preach the gospel unto the Ah meh strahans

Zub Zool Eh: In the days of the first patriarchs In the reign of Adam; in the days of the first patriarchs; in the days of Noah; in the blessings of Noah; in the blessings of the children of Noah; in the first blessings of men; in the first blessings of the church.

I am not sure what to make of this other that that the phoneme "Eh" appears to me "in".

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[wenglund]

I admit I'm not getting most of this.

That said, I wonder if all the syllables in any given "word" must be of the same degree. If not, then we might see Zub (5) Zool (3) Oan (1), and the meaning would be very different from Zub (5) Zool (5) Oan (5), which you address here. (Please pardon my idiosyncratic convention. I hope it's intelligible.)

Lehi

I do get your "idiosyncratic convention", and it raises an interesting question that I hope to delve into more in-depth down the road. Doing so may provided additional clues into how Phelps et. al. were thinking or interpreting things--not the least of which is how, absent any visible markers, one may determine which degree of explanation may be intended by a given author, whether on a composite or individual basis. Right now I am just looking for obvious patterns per degree.

With the discovery of the presumed meaning of "Eh" (in), though, this seems to suggest to me that the sounds are to be read from right to left, rather than the English convention of left to right. I will have to see how this plays out as I continue to investigate.

What I am finding the more I dig deeper into the EA/GAEL, particularly in regards to the sounds, is that the EA/GAEL, regardless of what it may have originally been intended to do, seem to have ended up less and less likely a translation devise, and more and more likely an interpretive tool, which presumably assists the user in uncovering possible layers of meaning (plain, mid, deep, comparative, and hidden), similar to the Kabbalah Alphabet and Midrash. It may have been created to help "reveal" and perhaps convey the sacred mysteries of God.

This, to a point, explains why there may not always be an exact match between the explanations for the individual phonemes and the explanations of the composite sounds, as well as the different explanations throughout the different degrees. The explanations for the composite sounds and for the five degrees may provide varied perspectives of 1) plain, 2) mid, 3) deep, 4) comparative, and 5) hidden meanings for the individual phonemes. But, it is too early in the process to tell for sure.

If this is the case, then what I find interesting is that the EA/GAEL project was relatively short lived (intermittent over roughly four months) and was aborted seemingly long before completion, which cessation coincided not only with the onset of formal instructions on the ancient languages (particularly Hebrew), but also the completion and dedication of the Kirtland temple. Could it be that the intended function of the EA/GAEL (revealing and conveying the mysteries of God) became moot, and was subsumed by education in the learning of the Jews as well as being endowed from on high in the House of the Lord? Something to think about.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[LeSellers]

Let's assume for a moment that the EA?GAEL was some sort of coded language (as are all written languages, btw).

Take Hebrew as an example. Each letter was originally a symbol for an object of some kind: א aleph: an ox; ב bet: a tent/house; ג gimmel: a camel; ד dalet: a door; etc. The words formed using that letter all point back to the original meaning (albeit in often quizzical ways). For instance, the letter מ mem is "water". The word "mayam" is water. The phrase "bet yam" (the name of the synagogue in South Lake Tahoe, California) means "house of the lake" (or so I am told: my Hebrew is nearly as good as my Japanese).

Now, if the alphabet in the EA/GAEL was based on some sort of parallel, i.e., that each component of the "word" had to relate back to the individual root meaning, and transformed as it (the component, what Wade calls "phonemes") "runs through" its degrees, back-tracing the meaning of various "words" ought to be possible, even if it's not always a one-to-one correspondence.

Or, did I miss something here?

Lehi

Edited August 23, 2011 by LeSellers

[wenglund]

Let's assume for a moment that the EA?GAEL was some sort of coded language (as are all written languages, btw).

Take Hebrew as an example. Each letter was originally a symbol for an object of some kind: א aleph: an ox; ב bet: a tent/house; ג gimmel: a camel; ד dalet: a door; etc. The words formed using that letter all point back to the original meaning (albeit in often quizzical ways). For instance, the letter מ mem is "water". The word "mayam" is water. The phrase "bet yam" (the name of the synagogue in South Lake Tahoe, California) means "house of the lake" (or so I am told: my Hebrew is nearly as good as my Japanese).

Let's see if this works. First, let's distill each Phoneme in "Zub Zool Eh" down to a single word explanation, reading from right to left, and then see how it matches the composite explanation.

Eh: In

Zool: Creation

Zub: Beginning.

Zub Zool Eh: In the beginning of the earth or creation. Or, in creation's beginning.

Now, that works. The plain meaning, or the meaning in the first degree, is rather strait forward, and refers to the beginning of the earth's creation.

Let's expand the explanations to a mid-range depth, and see how they work for the second degree:

Eh: In

Zool: Line of fathers

Zub: Creation, first institution, first principle.

Zub Zool Eh: The earth as it was in the beginning.

In the second degree, "Zub Zool Eh" appears to be referring to the first institution, which was the "fathers", which is the way the earth was in the beginning. In short, it is referring to the creation of the patriarchs that existed in the beginning.

-continued-

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[wenglund]

-continued-

Now let's look at the deep meaning within the third degree:

Eh: In

Zool: Decendancy of language and promises.

Zub: the future, and the past.

Zub Zool Eh: The earth in the beginning, with its rivers, brooks and springs, with its blessings of fruit, trees and flowers, herbs and plants beasts and birds.

At first glance, things don't appear to match up to well, that is until one considers that the creation of rivers, plants, and animals, and the fruit thereof, may be a metaphor for the creation of different peoples (languages) with differing relationships to God (promises).

Now let's go even more in-depth, and look comparatively and move from the general to specific meanings with the 4th degree:

Eh: In

Zool: the lineage of promise who hold the keys of God's kingdom.

Zub: Climbing, Ascension.

Zub Zool Eh: The first inhabitants in the Garden of Eden in the first generations; in the first church.

Evidently, in the fourth degree, the meaning of "Zub Zool Eh," in parts as compared in whole (phonemes as compared with composite sounds), and building upon previous degrees, suggests that the first church, which holds the keys of God's kingdom, existed in the Garden of Eden, and ascends from Adam and Eve to their posterity through the lines of the Fathers--with a hint that what was then, may also be in the future.

Finally, let's look at possible hidden meanings found in the fifth degree:

Eh: In

Zool: Chronology, right of priesthood and promise, preaching of gospel, beginning with Abraham and then eventually to all kindred of Noah on the earth.

Zub: Road to the alter of worship before the Lord where mankind will, are, and have been caught up.

Zub Zool Eh: In the days of the first patriarchs In the reign of Adam; in the days of the first patriarchs; in the days of Noah; in the blessings of Noah; in the blessings of the children of Noah; in the first blessings of men; in the first blessings of the church.

Looking at the fifth degree explanations, individually and collectively, and in connection with the layers of meaning of the previous degrees, we may discover the hidden meaning and mystery of God, that being, the Church and Kingdom of God, which holds the keys and rights and powers of God, which existed in the dispensations of Adam and Noah and Abraham, under the patriarchal order, will eventually be preached to all kindred, tongues, and people, via the descendants of Abraham, uniting all under the lineage and promise of Abraham, to be brought forth along the path of salvation to stand before the throne of God and to be caught up in glory, and all this as emblemized by the creation of the earth with all its rivers and plants and animals, and the blessings of the fruit thereof.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited August 23, 2011 by wenglund

[wenglund]

....and all this as emblemized by the creation of the earth with all its rivers and plants and animals, and the blessings of the fruit thereof.

Some of us may wonder why the story of the creation was interjected, seemingly inexplicably, within Abraham's narrative in the BoA.

Perhaps the above quote provides a clue.

There has been a long history within God's kingdom on earth of both teaching and hiding the precepts of God (the "mysteries") by way of similes, metaphors, analogies, parable's, etc.--so that those with eyes to see and ears to hear, will see and hear, while those who don't won't. Christ was particularly well known for this during his mortal ministry.

The creation story is thought to be one of the more common metaphors used in the Church throughout the ages--possible remnants of which may found its way in other faith traditions like Kabbalah:

Some people may also wonder why the creation story is so prominent in our LDS scriptures as well as in some of our more sacred ceremonies.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited August 23, 2011 by wenglund