Does this usage strike you as odd, or not?

[tree_and_leaf]

(Genuine question).

A winsome article about nuns, with truly lovely photographs.

Is this an American thing? Something to do with the idiolect of US church people (the post was made by an American on a FB group for young clergywomen, and I've noticed 'winsome' being used that way on that group before)? Or is it perfectly normal in UK English too and I'm just being strange?

On reflection, I realised I (a) had a strong sense that 'winsome' seems wrong when applied to a text (as opposed to a gesture, tone of voice, etc) and (b) think it's a revolting word that suggests Dolores Umbridge trying to be pleasant... Point (b) probably really is just me.

(The article, a NYT piece on a Dominican convent in New Jersey which is undergowing surprising growth among young women really is... um... an engaging and interesting read).

Comments

[antisoppist]

To me it means vomit-makingly twee and cute and is a really odd word to use about a text. I think I'd only use it when telling my children not to be it. "Stop trying to be winsome" when they're fluttering their eyelashes to try and get extra biscuits out of me.

[tree_and_leaf]

You know, I believe my mother used that line on me - that probably partly explains why I dislike it!

[serriadh]

My grandmother would occasionally approvingly describe someone's child as a 'winsome little girl/boy' which I usually took (entirely reliably ime) as a sign they'd be appallingly spoilt.