konnikova

When I was a kid I was fascinated with the Voynich Manuscript, so I have some questions for you.

• How does stress marks and other elements from forensic calligraphy (I don't think graphology is accurate enough) come in play in your research?

• How does linguistic reverse enginnering work? Can you shed some light on it? Do you use some kind of correlation (i.e. the handwritten lowercase "e" and "l" are very similar), do you search for similar graphemes on ancient languages, do you group your findings by roots (Slavic roots, Latin root, etc)?

• How do you interact with the manuscript? Do you work on digitalized copies, do they require you to keep it at special temperatures if you physically interact with it? Tell us more, please.

Thank you very much!

Edit: second question.

Oh goodness.

I read that in Finch's voice.

Thank you! I mean reverse engineering as a way to understand the logic behind the language with no a priori knowledge. Speaking of it, what particular knowledge sources were you using when you discovered these words? How's a typical research day for a linguist?

It's kinda good!

Hello, Michael. Your work on Person of Interest in nothing less than stellar. I mean, I've never been hooked like this with a TV show.

1. I feel like you guys in PoI really nailed the "two minutes into the future" unnerving, dark-mooded, unaware reality. Leaving the cast and the human factor aside for a moment, how do you feel with your character and with the series' premise? Is it still a challenge to represent Finch's different aspects when a new script comes up?
2. What literature classic would you love to do on stage?
3. Most characters you played has a distinctive eccentricity. What is yours?

Thank you VERY much for bringing us this chance of talking with you. I'm planning on going to Comic-Con this year (I'm not from the US) to see the PoI cast, this is if they confirm you all on the schedule.

Cheers!