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claes

Dialect
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

“Claes” is a Scots Dialect word meaning “clothes” or “garments.”

Detailed Definition
In Scots, “claes” is the usual Dialect form of the English word “clothes.” It commonly refers to a person’s clothing collectively rather than to one particular item. In poetry, the word can help establish a Scottish voice, setting, and rhythm, while also carrying associations of ordinary domestic life.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Violet Jacob’s “Hallowe’en,” the speaker remembers a chest associated with Lachlan’s belongings: “The auld ane stude that kept yer claes—” Here, “yer claes” means “your clothes.” The old chest that held Lachlan’s clothing becomes a painful reminder of his absence, making an everyday object emotionally significant.
Additional Notes
“Claes” is a Scots plural noun; it corresponds directly to standard English “clothes.” It is often pronounced roughly like “clays,” though pronunciation can vary by region and speaker. Related Scots words in the poem include “auld” for “old,” “licht” for “light,” and “kist” for “chest” or “box.” Do not confuse “claes” with a singular garment: like English “clothes,” it normally refers to clothing as a group.
Also Known As
Clothes Garments Apparel Raiment
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