What Does 'Auld Lang Syne' Mean?

 

Should auld¹ (old) acquaintance² be forgot

And never brought te (to) mind

Should auld (old) acquaintance be forgot

And days of auld lang syne³

That is a song millions of Americans will hear this New Year's Eve. It is called "Auld Lang Syne." It is the traditional music played during the New Year's celebration.

Revelers get ready to welcome the New Year in Times Square, New York, Dec. 31, 2018.

Revelers get ready to welcome the New Year in Times Square, New York, Dec. 31, 2018.

Scottish singer-songwriter Douglas MacLean opened our show, with his version⁴ of the song.

"We twa hae ran about the braes,

And pou'd the gowans fine..."

Auld Lang Syne is an old Scottish poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends. The words "auld lang syne" mean "old long since."

No one knows who wrote the poem first. However, a version by Scottish poet Robert Burns was published in 1796. The words and music we know today first appeared in a songbook three years later.

This song is sung in the United States mainly on New Year's Eve.

Here is another version is by the Scottish group The Cast.

As we end this Words and Their Stories with their version of "Auld Lang Syne," I would like to wish all of our listening friends a very Happy New Year!

For auld lang syne, my jo (dear) For auld lang syne

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne...

Words in This Story

acquaintance - n. a person someone knows slightly

1 auld   

adj.老的，旧的

参考例句：

• Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind?怎能忘记旧日朋友，心中能不怀念？
• The party ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Sync.宴会以《友谊地久天长》的歌声而告终。

2 acquaintance   

n.认识，相识，了解；相识的人，熟人

参考例句：

• When did you make the acquaintance of his brother?你是什么时候认识他兄弟的？
• I have only a nodding acquaintance with him.我和他只有点头之交。

3 syne   

adv.自彼时至此时，曾经

参考例句：

• The meeting ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.大会以唱《友谊地久天长》结束。
• We will take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne.让我们为了过去的好时光干一杯友谊的酒。

4 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？