In his 1952 monograph on Mycenaean epigraphy, linguist Michael Ventris demonstrated that the Linear B script found at Knossos and Pylos encoded an archaic dialect of Greek rather than an unclassified Aegean language. Contrary to the prevailing consensus established by Arthur Evans—who argued that Linear B was strictly non-Greek and represented an autochthonous Minoan tongue—Ventris analyzed sign frequencies and inflectional grids, revealing that word endings changed in patterns consistent with early Greek noun declensions. Crucially, Ventris noted that while Linear B shared approximately seventy characters with the earlier, undeciphered Linear A script, Linear B tablets contained specific ideograms for agricultural commodities and tripod cauldrons that were absent in Linear A administrative records. Furthermore, Ventris established that Linear B scribal conventions systematically omitted word-final consonants, such as '-s' and '-n', causing monosyllabic Greek words to appear truncated in phonetic transcription.
According to the passage, which of the following is explicitly stated as a feature distinguishing Linear B administrative tablets from Linear A records?
- The inclusion of specific ideograms representing farm produce and tripod vessels that do not appear in Linear A tabletsAnswer
- BThe total absence of shared sign forms or graphic characters with the earlier Linear A script
- CThe consistent phonetic transcription of word-final consonants such as '-s' and '-n'
- DThe exclusive use of pictorial ideograms rather than syllable-based signs to represent noun declensions
- EThe complete lack of inflectional variation in word endings across administrative entries