Facety
Also spelled: faceti, facity, fiesty
Meaning
Describes someone rude, impertinent or cheeky, especially a person who speaks out of turn or shows disrespect they have no right to show. It carries a sense of brazen boldness beyond ordinary rudeness.
Examples
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“Di likkle bwoy too facety, him a chat back to him teacha.”
That little boy is too rude, he's talking back to his teacher.
Common when scolding children for disrespect toward elders.
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“How yuh so facety fi come inna mi yaad an nyam off mi food?”
How are you so bold as to come into my yard and eat up my food?
'fi' introduces the impertinent act; shows the nerve implied by the word.
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“Mi nuh like how she facety wid people.”
I don't like how disrespectful she is toward people.
Used as a general character judgement.
Origin
Derived from English 'feisty', but the meaning shifted in Jamaica toward rude and disrespectful rather than spirited or scrappy.
How it's used
An everyday word used across ages, often by older people rebuking younger ones. It is not vulgar but is a real insult, so it stings in a family or workplace setting. Foreigners sometimes confuse it with 'feisty' meaning lively, which is not what it means here.