2 ms·

Is that really the original (English) English meaning of twee? I thought that the English used it more or less where we would use "cutesy" or some other dismiss

by cafard 6y ago

Is that really the original (English) English meaning of twee? I thought that the English used it more or less where we would use "cutesy" or some other dismissive. But then I didn't know that there was a "twee culture".

DanBC 6y ago
Here's what my dictionaries say. I agree that I'd tend to use it for "cutesy". > twee, a. (and n. 3) colloq. > 1. Originally: `sweet', dainty, chic. Now only in depreciatory use: affectedly dainty or quaint; over-nice, over-refined, precious, mawkish. > 1905: Punch 8 Mar. 178/1, “`I call him perfectly twee!' persisted Phyllis.” > 1917: M. T. Hainsselin Grand Fleet Days xv. 91 “Girl: Oh, here's another little gun; isn't it a darling! Isn't it just too twee for words!” > 1947: E. Hyams William Medium viii. 164 “`Isn't he twee!' said Mary, and pinched his cheek.” > 1956: G. Durrell Drunken Forest x. 193 “`What twee individuals?' `Those knowledgeable sentimentalists who are forever telling me that it's cruel to lock up the poor wild creatures in little wooden boxes.'” > 1962: Observer 25 Mar. 25/3 “She has a small and, it must be said, pretty twee cottage.” > 1967: E. Short Embroidery & Fabric Collage iv. 102 “The best of our designers who have abandoned the rather `twee' decorative type of embroidered picture.” > 1973: G. Robyns Wimbledon xxix. 192 “There is..a twee Arcadian outdoor studio complete with white trellis and plastic flowers.” > 1983: Listener 21 July 33/1 “Mike Nichols's thriller-fantasy about dolphins should be as nauseatingly twee as the worst Disney—but it isn't.” Chambers 11th (because they give an origin) > twee > twee /twē/ ( informal) > adjective > 1. Small and sweet > 2. Affectedly or sentimentally pretty or quaint > ORIGIN: tweet for ‘sweet’, and later tiny and wee

2 ms·

Is that really the original (English) English meaning of twee? I thought that the English used it more or less where we would use "cutesy" or some other dismiss

by cafard 6y ago

DanBC 6y ago
Here's what my dictionaries say. I agree that I'd tend to use it for "cutesy". > twee, a. (and n. 3) colloq. > 1. Originally: `sweet', dainty, chic. Now only in depreciatory use: affectedly dainty or quaint; over-nice, over-refined, precious, mawkish. > 1905: Punch 8 Mar. 178/1, “`I call him perfectly twee!' persisted Phyllis.” > 1917: M. T. Hainsselin Grand Fleet Days xv. 91 “Girl: Oh, here's another little gun; isn't it a darling! Isn't it just too twee for words!” > 1947: E. Hyams William Medium viii. 164 “`Isn't he twee!' said Mary, and pinched his cheek.” > 1956: G. Durrell Drunken Forest x. 193 “`What twee individuals?' `Those knowledgeable sentimentalists who are forever telling me that it's cruel to lock up the poor wild creatures in little wooden boxes.'” > 1962: Observer 25 Mar. 25/3 “She has a small and, it must be said, pretty twee cottage.” > 1967: E. Short Embroidery & Fabric Collage iv. 102 “The best of our designers who have abandoned the rather `twee' decorative type of embroidered picture.” > 1973: G. Robyns Wimbledon xxix. 192 “There is..a twee Arcadian outdoor studio complete with white trellis and plastic flowers.” > 1983: Listener 21 July 33/1 “Mike Nichols's thriller-fantasy about dolphins should be as nauseatingly twee as the worst Disney—but it isn't.” Chambers 11th (because they give an origin) > twee > twee /twē/ ( informal) > adjective > 1. Small and sweet > 2. Affectedly or sentimentally pretty or quaint > ORIGIN: tweet for ‘sweet’, and later tiny and wee