Hi can someone please translate this into english? Lamh Folstea Nacabu, it's on a coffe table my fiancee just inherited, his last name is inscribed on the top of their family cress and Lamh Folstea Nacabu is inscribed on the bottom. Thanks for your help!

Lamh = hand

Folstea doesn't seem to be spelled correctly. I can't find in in my dictionaries (3 of them). My guess is it's a mis-spelled word or a derivative of another word. The nearest I can get is

Foilse which is the genetive singular comparative form of follas which means "open" or "overt" (among other things)

Nacabu seems to be a contraction of Nach and abu. Nach is a negative particle which has a whole host of meanings that all must be taken in context. Abu is a term which roughly equates to "long live" or "forever" etc.

So...my guess and it's no more than a rough guess is that the motto translates roughly..."An Open Hand but Not Forever". Although, I think this is a poor use of "Abu". I think "go deo" would be better suited.

Wait for the natives to chime in on this. I think there's a combination of old terminology and mis-spelled words that need to be sorted out.

Le meas

James

I'd taken a look at this earlier and couldn't get past the mis-spelling. However, after James' study of it, it appears more like something from playing cards along the lines of, 'A revealed hand isn't trumped.' - or something like that.
Someone else probably will know it better.

Maidhc.

It would be a great help if you gave us the surname, then we might be able to find an uncorrupted version of the slogan!

I wonder is he an O Sullivan?

http://www.bearatourism.com/osullvn/hist.htm
lámh foistenach abú

The steady hand to victory

foisteanach [aidiacht den chéad díochlaonadh]
suaimhneach; staidéarach; sollúnta.

And the MAN comes through again!! I bet you are spot on! I knew there was some mis-spelling and sorting out to be done!

James

The power of google, and not mine.

I yahoo'd and got nothing. Guess I need to broaden my search engine horizons!

Bheul, níl Gaeilge ag Yahoo, ach tá ag google!

http://www.google.ie/

Bhuel, is rúd loighciúil sin ! (Please correct that if it makes no sense!)

Actually, the difference might be simply that I googled for "lámh" and "abú" rather than the whole phrase since the middle word(s) were (to me) obviously wrong.

Thank you all so much for your help, yes his last name is Sullivan. Wow, you guys are good, I really appreciate all of your time, thank you so much! Jennifer H

Sorry I wasn't able to better read the words on the table, the script was difficult to read, plus it was burned into the wood, so it was a little blurred it's kinda old, again thank you so much. Jennifer H

Fáilte romhat. You're welcome.