Language Key Ponderable

I haven't found a way to do this yet..... if anyone has an idea, I'd sure appreciate it.  Below is a section of code in my BxTmplMenu.php file, which overrides the corresponding function in BxBaseMenu.php.  Note the code highlighted in red.

        $sMainSubs = ($sSubMenu=='') ? '' : <<<EOF
    <!--[if lte IE 6]><table id="mmm"><tr><td><![endif]-->
    <ul class="sub main_elements"><div id="subMenuHead">{$sText}</div>
        {$sSubMenu}
    </ul>
    <!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
EOF;

        $this->sCode .= <<<EOF
<td class="top" {$sActiveStyle} {$sImgTabStyle}>
    <a href="{$sLink}" {$sOnclick} {$sTarget} class="top_link"><span class="down" {$sBoldStyle}>{$sPictureRep}{$sText}</span>
    <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--></a><!--<![endif]-->
    <div id="dropdownTwoColumn" style="position:relative;display:block;">{$sMainSubs}</div>
</td>
EOF;

The {$sText} represents the name of the list item for the drop down, ie Forums, Blogs, Photos, etc. 

What I need to do, is find a way to dynamically create a language key based on {$sText}, so that I can add custom text to each drop down menu.  Replacing {$sText} with <bx_text:_dropMenu_{$sText}/>  won't  work because it would basically be a language key nested within another language key, and won't parse.

The end result I hope for is shown below, except that 'FORUMS" would be replaced by the dynamically generated language key for each drop menu.

What is the code that loads the variable $sText

Because that is where it would be done.

<bx_text:_dropMenu_{$sText}/> may not work but.

$sText = _t('_dropMenu_' . $sText); should work.

Thanks Deano,  I did this:

$aText = _t('_dropMenu_' . $sText);

        $sMainSubs = ($sSubMenu=='') ? '' : <<<EOF
    <!--[if lte IE 6]><table id="mmm"><tr><td><![endif]-->
    <ul class="sub main_elements"><div id="subMenuHead">{$aText}</div>
        {$sSubMenu}
    </ul>
    <!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table></a><![endif]-->
EOF;

  Some day, I'll know what I'm doing.  I almost had it once, but I tried something like $aText = _t('_dropMenu_') . $sText; and it didn't work.

Anyway, It works!