On 11/4/05 21:31, "Neil McLeod" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dennis wrote:
> 
>>> 17.
>>> (a) Leabhar láimhe anfhîr
 
>>> The book of an unjust hand [= of a condemned/conquered owner?],
> 
>> In Modern Irish "an-" is very common as a prefix meaning "very",
>> so "very true/just" here?  In today's Irish "an-fhear" could
>> even mean something like "a great guy".
> 
> So, "a book composed by the hand of a great man"?

Are either/both of these prefixes acceptable in a metre requiring
monosyllabic finals?  Leabhar láimhe an fhir - the (previously mentioned)
man's handbook? 

Of course, as I can't get more than 6-7 letters in the first column of the
MS onto my screen, I'm not willing to call this witness a small MS myself!

Micheál