Sinister: Definitions of Twee and Fey

[Harry Hunt]

Fey is another spelling of Fay, which is an ebonic slang term for "white
man".  It's generally derogative, but in some contexts is merely familiar.

Fey/Fay is also Scots slang, relating to one fated to die, doomed,
especially as portended by peculiar, usually elated behaviour.

It also can be traced back to a Gallic word meaning to clean out, or scour.

Fey was also once Scots spelling for the word "fee"

It can also mean eccentric, slightly mad, whimsical, supernatural fairy-like
and elfin.

It is generally these last few meanings for which the word is used nowadays.

Twee is a colloquial adjective meaning small and sweet, sentimentally
pretty.

There are two theories for its etymology, whether 'tweet' being used as a
term meaning 'extra sweet' got contracted, or whether it's more Gallic, and
thus a combination of
T-iny and WEE.

Conjugations accepted by Chambers are the adverb "Tweely" and the noun
"Tweeness"

Twee is/was also a Scots interjectory term, used as a call to calves at
feeding time.

The OED says that twee means dainty, chic, over-nice, over-refined,
precious, mawkish.

The OED puts the etymology down to a juvenile pronunciation of the word
"sweet".

Hope this helped in some small way.  I'm trying to distract myself with
reference books because I have an interview in a minute.

Love
Harry
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