Home › Glossary › Letter A

Auld

Dialect
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Old; the Scots form of "old," familiar from "Auld Lang Syne" and Burns.

Detailed Definition
"Auld" is one of the most recognisable words in the Scots lexicon, instantly evoking tradition, memory, and national identity. Burns immortalised it in "Auld Lang Syne" and "Auld Reekie." It carries emotional weight beyond its literal meaning, connoting affection for the past, loyalty to old friendships, and the bittersweet passage of time. In poetry, "auld" transforms simple description into elegy and celebration alike.
Example
Example in poetry:
Burns's famous "Auld Lang Syne" opens: "Should auld acquaintance be forgot / and never brought tae mind?" where "auld" means "old"; A poet might write: "The auld grey kirk stands on the brae, / its bell unrung for many a day." to evoke historical melancholy; "Her auld man's coat still hung by the door, / a ghost of warmth on a flagstone floor." creates emotional resonance through familiar objects; "Auld tales were told by the peat-fire's glow, / of heroes lang dead and rivers below." links the word to oral tradition; "He walked the auld road, stone by stone, / back tae the land he'd always known." uses "auld" to signal rootedness and return; "The auld year dies in frost and sleet, / the new year waits wi' cautious feet." closes a poem with temporal renewal
Additional Notes
Auld is perhaps the most internationally recognised Scots word, carried around the world by "Auld Lang Syne." Its range extends far beyond Burns, however: "Auld Reekie" (Edinburgh), "the Auld Alliance" (Scotland-France), and "Auld Hornie" (the Devil) all demonstrate its flexibility. In poetry it carries weight that "old" cannot match — it sounds worn, lived-in, and deeply familiar. For students, understanding that "auld" can express affectionate nostalgia, rueful acceptance, or stern tradition depending on context is essential. It pairs naturally with "lang" (long) and "syne" (since/ago), and its appearance in a poem almost always signals a backward-looking, reflective emotional register.
Also Known As
Old Elder Ancient
Skip to main content