Words are like people. Some of them look alike because they come from the same parentage. Both “sanguine” and “sanguinary” are adjectives and were born from sanguis, Latin for blood. So, after learning that a sanguine person is cheerful or optimistic, you might run into the word “sanguinary” while reading a text, look at its ruddy face, and expect it to tell you a joke or recite an inspiring quote. Don’t be surprised if it pulls out a knife and threatens you. The only thing it’s cheerful about is bloodshed and cruelty.
Other words, like the nouns “desert” and “dessert” look so much alike, people can hardly tell the difference. If you look closely, you’ll see that “dessert” looks more curvaceous. It’s that extra “s” in the middle. They’re not related although both words have ancestors who came from the Latin. Other than that, the only similarity is that desert is a waste place, and dessert goes to a waist place.
The other day I ran into “twee” online. It was modifying a noun, music, and speaking in a colloquial accent telling everyone who would listen that the music was sickeningly sweet. I’ve heard it say things like that before. It also has the remarkable ability to make bird sounds. You may have heard it imitate the wren by saying twee-twee-twee.
1916 cover (Wikipedia)
Twee in its original sense of sweet or dainty first appeared in print in the British magazine, Punch, around 1905. Someone heard a children pronouncing “sweet” as “tweet,” then took the word and dropped the “t.” It was the linguistic form of stealing candy from a baby. Now it disparages music and people by calling them mawkish or overly sentimental.
I like how the word sounds. Twee rhymes with glee and whee, words of enthusiasm and joy. I’ve heard birds chirp it, and I’ve had small children answer “Twee” when I asked their age. Elmer Fudd climbed twees looking for that wascally wabbit, Bugs Bunny. “Be vewy, vewy quiet, I’m hunting wabbits,” he used to say. Twee is a word that fits in your pocket, a small joke of a word, a word with punch.
When sister was twee, she stood front of a twee. You can almost hear the birds singing, "Twee, twee, twee."
Even though the masters of irony and sophistication have forced twee to make disparaging remarks about other people, I won’t abandon it. That’s just its corrupted twin. Elmer Fudd and I know the real twee, and any word that is a friend of birds, Elmer, and three-year-olds is a friend of mine.
Portrait of Elmer J. Fudd courtesy of Wikipedia.
year-struck 
Ahhhh, sweet lady, why was it that I never had a teacher like you… I would have brought you roses, and cakes, and little pictures that I drew…
How sweet of you, ShimonZ. Teachers love those kinds of gifts, especially the drawings. I used to teach English to small children and especially loved it.
Twee is a word I love to use in its modern context, usually alongside another British favorite “treacly,” which has a similar meaning. (Treacly refers to treacle a sweet custard and fruit dessert.)
Yet, I never once realized how modern “twee” actually is, nor did I know that it is a variation on sweet. WOW.
I love it when you unpack language, Yearstricken. You do it so exquisitely!
Thank you for reminding me of another favorite I haven’t used in a coon’s age— mawkish. (And now I’m wondering if this word is a cousin to awkward? To the etymology lab!)
You are fab, Yearstricken, just fab!
British English has so many delightful words and expressions. I suppose part of their charm is that we don’t hear them much, so they sound fresh to our American ears. I’m sure some of our well-worn Americanisms sound fresh to British ears.
I almost wrote a post on “mawkish” when I was writing about sentimentality. I like the sound of it, too.
Vewy vewy intewesting!
“Twee” in its Punch sense: so VEWY VEWY BWITT!
XOXOXO
I’m glad you liked it. Twee is one of those words that I love because of how it sounds. Of course, its history endears it to me even more.
Sweet.
Thank you.
I know all about dessert (and chocolate) going to a waist place and there is nothing twee about it.
I understand completely, but I don’t plan to desert desserts just yet.
Very tweet! Now I have a way to remember dessert/desert.
I’m so glad you liked it.
I like this post vewy, vewy muchly.
I’m glad. I think you are also a fan of Elmer Fudd. 🙂
One – as usual, you made me smile.
Two – the way you wrangle words is vewy fun to watch, so thank you.
Twee – please quit making me go to my dictionary to see if *you’re pulling my leg.
*teachers – always trying to get our noses stuck inside the dictionary.
signed, twee-dle-dum
(because I’ve never heard the word before – but now I have – your job is done)
So happy I made you smile. I love your comments; they always make me smile.
I do like to pull a leg or two now and then, so it’s a good idea to check up on me.
And sister looked so tweet at twee by the twee.
Another fun read!
So glad you liked it.
” the only similarity is that desert is a waste place, and dessert goes to a waist place.”
Thank you so much, I’ll keep it in mind. This is a sweet post. I love it when you toy with words, so many good things come out. ^^ 🙂
I’m glad you found it sweet, in a good way.
🙂 btw, i intend to tag your site, ms. yearstricken. is that alright? :c
Pls. say yes… thanks 🙂
I am honored. Thank you.
Is being fabulous in too many ways to count considered too, too frightfully twee? If so, consider yourself so anointed. It’s all right here in evidence. Hurray! Huwway! Whee!
You are kind and sweet yourself, Kathryn. I love the sound of the word, twee, too much to worry about the meaning. 🙂