Toun

A toun is a kynd o settlement reengin frae a pickle tae mony thoosand (whiles hunders o thoosands) indwallers, awtho it micht can be applee'd lowse e'en tae muckle metropolitan areas; the preceese meanin chynges atween kintras an isna aye a maiter o legal defineetion. For ordinar, a "toun" is thocht o as lairger nor a veelage but smawer nor a "ceety", tho thare's exceptions tae this rule. The wirds "ceety" an "veelage" cam intae Scots frae Laitin via French. "Toun" an "burgh" is o hamelt Germanic oreegin, frae Auld Inglis burg, a fortifee'd settlement, an tūn, an enclosed bit grund.^[1]

In Auld Inglis an Auld Scots, "Toun" (or "town", "ton", etc.) oreeginally meant a fortifee'd municipality, whauras a burgh wisna fortifee'd. But that disteenction daedna last lang, an "Edina Burgh" or "Edinburgh"—nou cried a "ceety"—wis a fortifee'd "toun" frae its foondin.

1. ↑ The New Oxford American Dictionary, Second Edition, Erin McKean (Editor), 2096 pages, May 2005, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-517077-6