BAB I

Introduction
Semantics is a sub discipline of linguistics which studying the meaning of the words.
Semantics tries to understand what meaning is as an element of language and how it is
constructed by language as well as interpreted, obscured and negotiated by speakers and listeners
of language. The language can be a natural language, such as English or Navajo, or an artificial
language, like a computer programming language. Meaning in natural languages is mainly
studied by linguists. In fact, Semantics is one of the main branches of contemporary linguistics.
Theoretical computer scientists and logicians think about artificial languages. In some areas of
computer science, these divisions are crossed. In machine translation, for instance, computer
scientists may want to relate natural language texts to abstract representations of their meanings;
to do this, they have to design artificial languages for representing meanings.

Semantics is closely linked with another sub discipline of linguistics, pragmatics, which is also,
broadly speaking, the study of meaning. However, unlike pragmatics, semantics is a highly
theoretical research perspective, and looks at meaning in language in isolation, in the language
itself, whereas pragmatics is a more practical subject and it is interested in meaning in language
in use.

A. Background of the Study

The History and Words of Auld Lang Syne Song

Three simple words of Auld Lang Syne is the meaning of "old," "long," and "since",
combine to form a phrase that translates loosely as "time gone by", "old time's sake," or, in some
contexts, "once upon a time.. Every December 31, tens millions of people raise their voices in a
chorus Auld Lang Syne to greet the new year, standing with friends and looking back on days
past. The song that we share has its roots in an old Scottish ballad about a disappointed lover and
a popular dance tune that evoked a country wedding.
It was Robert Burns (17591796), the great eighteenth-century Scottish poet, who
transformed the old song (and many other Scottish standards) for publication. He devoted the last
ten years of his short life to collecting old verses, revising and "mending" as he saw fit, even
composing poetry to accompany popular airs. When Burns turned his attention to "Auld Lang
Syne," he claimed merely to have transcribed the words from "an old man's singing." But from
the time his version of the song was first printed (in 1796, just after his death), it has been
understood that Burns lent more than a trace of his distinctive artistry to the now-famous verses.
"Auld Lang Syne" is usually sing every year on New Year's Eve (Hogmanay in Scotland)
in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and in
Canada who speak English in the middle of the night and marked the start of a new year , In the
United Kingdom the song was played at the close of the Congress (conference) of the annual
Congress of Trade Unions (Trade Union Congress). This song is also sung in many Burns Clubs,
as mark the end of the dinner Burns. The song's initial popularity coincided with the age of
Scottish emigration, especially to Canada and the US, in the 19th Century. The song is the one of
Scotland's gifts to the world.
The song was sung as well as a graduation song and burial in Taiwan, which marks the
end or goodbye. In Japan, this song was used for graduation. Many stores play it to usher
customers out at the close of the trading day. Before the formulation Aegukga, the lyrics of
Korea's national anthem is sung to the rhythm of this song. In the Indian Army band played this
song at the end of the parade of the recruits.

B. The Aims of Study

This research is to purpose the meaning words of song Auld Lang Syne which is usually
used on New Years eve as an international anthem for some country that using English as the
universal language all around the world. This research belong in the study of semantics. The
words Auld lang Syne is the old Scots phrase that written by Robert Burns from Scotland in
1788. The title of this song was originated to Scottish language. Meanwhile the melody is
adapted from the traditional Scottish song that is very old. And it is freely translated into
Standard English as old long ago which means that from long time ago, or more colloquially
"the good old days". It also can recall happy days gone by, separation and coming back
together. In the modern idiom it might say back in the day.

C. Problem of the Study

This song Auld Lang Syneis a traditional song from Scotland. The song changed to English and
became very popular in many parts of the world. Almost everyone admitted that the original song lyrics
are very difficult to understand. Even in Scotland was nonexistent knows exactly original lyrics of Auld
Lang Syne. That is why Auld Lang Syne has many versions from all around the world. Most people do
not know the original version of the song Auld Lang Syne.

D. Problem Limitation
Knowing the real meaning words of the song Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns.

Source from:

http://www.themorgan.org/collection/Auld-Lang-Syne
https://sites.google.com/a/sheffield.ac.uk/all-about-linguistics/branches/semantics/what-issemantics
https://web.eecs.umich.edu/~rthomaso/documents/general/what-is-semantics.html
http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/robert-burns-and-auld-lang-syne
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-25402099

E. Research Methodology

The Methodology of Linguistic Research

The History and The Meaning of

Auld Lang Syne Song

3SA06
Group Member:
- Annisa Utami
- Cindy Dyrdi Paramita