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Halò a-rithist, a chàirdean. An toigh leibh tòimhseachain? Fhuair mi lorg air feadhainn an latha eile ann an seann phàipear-naidheachd a chaidh fhoillseachadh anns an naoidheamh linn deug – An Gàidheal. Gabhaidh e leughadh air an eadar-lìon.

An toiseach, dà thòimhseachan a tha a’ cleas leis an fhacal ‘fada’. Seo agaibh a’ chiad fhear: Carson a tha leabaidh an t-slaodair ro ghoirid air a shon? A bheil sibh a’ tuigsinn slaodair? Cuideigin a tha leisg is slaodach. Carson a tha leabaidh an t-slaodair ro ghoirid air a shon? A chionn ʼs gu bheil e ro fhada innte. Bùm bùm, mar a thuirt am fear eile. Because he is too long in it. A chionn ʼs gu bheil e ro fhada innte.

Seo agaibh tòimhseachan eile anns an aon iris dhen Ghàidheal: Cò an sluagh as leisge, agus carson? Cò an sluagh as leisge, agus carson? ʼS e am fuasgladh – An fheadhainn as àirde, oir bidh iad nas fhaide anns a’ leabaidh na càch!

Bha na seann Ghàidheil riamh measail air tòimhseachain, agus bhiodh e math a leithid a chumail a dol anns an latha a th’ ann. Seo agaibh fear eile: Carson a tha muc anns an t-seòmar coltach ri taigh na theine? Carson a tha muc anns an t-seòmar coltach ri taigh na theine? Mar as luaithe a chuireas tu às i, ʼs ann as fheàrr. The quicker you put it out, the better. Mar as luaithe a chuireas tu às i, ʼs ann as fheàrr.

Agus fear eile. Bha m’ athair nach maireann na fhiaclair. Mar sin, tha am fear seo a’ còrdadh rium. Carson a tha fiacail a chaidh a tharraing coltach ri nì a chaidh air dìochuimhne? Carson a tha fiacail a chaidh a tharraing coltach ri nì a chaidh air dìochuimhne? ʼS e am fuasgladh – dh’fhalbh e às a’ cheann!

Agus aon fhear eile. ʼS dòcha nach bi seo cho furasta dhuibh, ach smaoinichibh air cumadh a’ bhuntàta. Carson a tha deòir coltach ri buntàta? Carson a tha deòir coltach ri buntàta? Tha iad a’ fàs às an t-sùil. Tha iad a’ fàs às an t-sùil. Nì sin an gnothach airson tòimhseachain an-dràsta, nach dèan?

Tha mi airson abairt no dhà innse dhuibh, a nochdas anns an aon iris dhen Ghàidheal. Tha tòrr fìrinn anns na h-abairtean seo, agus tha iad brìghmhor. Seo agaibh tè: Is fheàrr teine beag a gharas, na teine mòr a loisgeas. A small fire that warms a person is better than a big fire that burns them. Is fheàrr teine beag a gharas, na teine mòr a loisgeas.

Seo feadhainn eile: Is fheàrr fuine thana na bhith gun aran idir. It’s better to have a thin baking than to be without bread. Is fheàrr fuine thana na bhith gun aran idir.

Is duilich bùrn glan a thoirt à tobar salach. It’s hard to draw clean water from a dirty well. Is duilich bùrn glan a thoirt à tobar salach.

Is beag a th’ eadar do ghal ʼs do ghàire. Little separates tears from laughter. Is beag a th’ eadar do ghal ʼs do ghàire.

Agus seo agaibh smuain a tha a cheart cho fìor an-diugh ʼs a bha i riamh: Is beò duine an dèidh a shàrach’, ach cha bheò e an dèidh a nàrach’.

Faclan na Litreach: tòimhseachain: riddles; measail air: keen on; fuasgladh: solution; brìghmhor: pithy.

Abairtean na Litreach: a tha a’ cleas leis an fhacal X: that play with the word X; carson a tha leabaidh an t-slaodair ro ghoirid air a shon?: why is the lazy man’s bed too short for him?; cò an sluagh as leisge, agus carson?: who are the laziest people, and why?; an fheadhainn as àirde, oir bidh iad nas fhaide anns a’ leabaidh na càch: the tallest people, because they are longer in bed than anybody else; bhiodh e math a leithid a chumail a dol anns an latha a th’ ann: it would be good to keep the like going in today’s world; carson a tha muc anns an t-seòmar coltach ri taigh na theine?: why is a pig in the room like a house on fire?; bha m’ athair nach maireann na fhiaclair: my late father was a dentist; carson a tha fiacail a chaidh a tharraing coltach ri nì a chaidh air dìochuimhne?: why is a tooth that has been extracted like something that has been forgotten; dh’fhalbh e às a’ cheann: it [has] left the head; ʼs dòcha nach bi seo cho furasta dhuibh: perhaps this won’t be so easy for you; smaoinichibh air cumadh a’ bhuntàta: think of the form of a potato; carson a tha deòir coltach ri buntàta?; why are tears like a potato [potatoes]?; tha iad a’ fàs às an t-sùil: they grow from the eye; nì sin an gnothach: that’ll do; tha mi airson abairt no dhà innse dhuibh: I want to tell you a couple of phrases; a nochdas anns an aon iris: that appear in the same edition.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Is fheàrr fuine thana na bhith gun aran idir: it’s better to have a thin baking than to be without bread. Starting a statement with ‘Is fheàrr’ is a neat way of making a pithy statement – why not try and create a few or your own, starting with ‘Is fheàrr’? Is fheàrr beagan Gàidhlig na bhith gun Gàidhlig idir!

Seanfhacal na Litreach: Is beò duine an dèidh a shàrach’, ach cha bheò e an dèidh a nàrach’: a man survives harrassment but does not survive shaming.