Old Aunt Gzyne?

So ... We come to the end of another year. And during this time of year we often hear folks sing a song, really a poem set to music, that some may not truly understand. You know the one I'm talking about ... That song about old acquaintances being forgotten and so on. Remember?

So is it old ang zine ... or hold ang zyne ... or old Aunt Gzyne ... or far old ang zyne ... or foothold and sign ... Who really knows?

Well, really, it's not any of those.

But on New Year's Eve, it seems the most common song for most English-speaking people to sing is "Auld Lang Syne." Isn't it funny that we can hear and sing a song so many times and still have no idea what it means?

Wouldn't it be funny if it meant something like "pink buffalo on the prairie" or something even more absurd?

While we are seeking answers about this well-known but little understood writing, we might well ask ourselves another related question: What language is it?

According to the all-knowing and all-powerful interweb, "Auld Lang Syne" is a very old Scottish song that was first written down sometime in the 1700s. The song is mostly associated with one Robert Burns, the person whose transcription brought the most widespread attention to the poem. But according to Gavin Grieg in his book "Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads," Burns wrote a letter sent along with a manuscript of the poem to the British Museum: "The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man's singing, is enough to recommend any air (or tune)."

The origin really doesn't matter. The song is one of Scotland's gifts to the world. From Bangkok and Beijing to France and places all over the world, it is a song of togetherness and sad farewells; it eases the pain of parting with the hope -- and maybe even the promise -- that friends and loved ones will see each other again. No matter where and in what language it is being sung, it recalls the love and kindness of days gone by. When shared with neighbors and friends, it also gives us a sense of community -- of belonging and fellowship to take us into the coming year.

So what does it mean? We sing it and hear it and it brings us to tears or -- as in the case of good old George Bailey from Bedford Falls -- brings a houseful of people together to share their good fortune. But what does it mean?

Again, according to the interweb, a pretty good translation of the words "auld lang syne" would be "times gone by" or "for the sake of old times." So (incorporating a couple of other translations) when we sing this song, we are saying, "We'll drink a cup of kindness yet for times gone by."

Here is a translation of the verses I found -- again -- on the interweb. And they seem to make sense.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

Chorus (repeats after each verse)

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you'll buy your pint cup ...

and surely I'll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine;

But we've wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty friend!

And give me a hand o' thine!

And we'll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And with that, I will wish each and every one of you a very safe, happy and prosperous 2015.