What does こまけー mean?

Question

Does anybody have a clue what こまけー might mean? Below are some sentences for context and the phrase as it's used:

まじめでおカタい感じの女子大生は、やたらとわたしを目を敵にしてきた。わたしが何をやっても文句をつけてくる。「しょうゆの向きは、こうじゃなくてこう！」って こまけー んだよ!

Answer 1

In Edo-speak (江戸言葉) or rough speak in present Japanese, a sequence of a vowel followed by a high vowel is often contracted to one long vowel. こまけー's original form is [細]{こま}かい 'detailed'. In this case, it is claiming that the other person cares too much about subtle things.

There are other patterns as well:

ai → ee, 　　[高]{たか}い → たけえ
ei → ee, 　　[競]{けい}[馬]{ば} → けえば　　　　(Standard pronounciation; written as けいば)
oi → ee, 　　[面]{おも}[白]{しろ}い → おもしれえ
ui → ii, 　　　[悪]{わる}い → わりい
au → oo, 　　[買]{かう}た → こおた　　　　(Kansai dialect; written as こうた)
eu → oo, 　　でせう → でしょお　　(Standard pronounciation; written as でしょう)
ou → oo, 　　[泥]{どろ}[棒]{ぼう} → どろぼお　　(Standard pronounciation; written as どろぼう)
iu → uu, 　　[言]{い}う → ゆう　　　　　　(Standard pronounciation; written as いう)

All these follow the following phonological rule:

[α high][+ high, β back] → [α high, - low, β back]:

where

+---------------+--------+--------+
|               | - back | + back |
+---------------+--------+--------+
| + high, - low | i      | u      |
| - high, - low | e      | o      |
| - high, + low |        | a      |
+---------------+--------+--------+

Note: As far as I know, this rule was discovered by 窪薗晴夫.