highbrow

Discussion in 'Linguistics' started by mathman, Mar 9, 2021.

  1. mathman Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,002
    The word "highbrow" seems to have two almost contradictory connotations - snob or intellectual giant. How come?
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,077
    highbrow

    adjectives

    scholarly or rarefied in taste.

    innovatory art had a small, mostly highbrow following.

    noun

    a highbrow person.

    she considered all those without television as highbrows, intellectual snobs, or paupers.

    Definitions from Oxford Languages.

    Looking at noun I take the

    intellectual snobs - to be those to good for TV, because TV is below them. They engage in activities (reading) which require effort to absorb, while TV just floods into you

    paupers - can't afford

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. sculptor Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    8,466
    The phrase "effete intellectual snobs" comes to mind
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,077
    Could be

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  8. RainbowSingularity Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,447
    cultural language variations render some words to be completely different meanings
    what culture were you raised in ?
    which country are you referring to the definition being used in & by which cultural group ?
    left or right(americanism) is not an absolute term of linguistics meaning & intonation of English Language.

    ?
    "why" is entirely relative to the person whom is using the term & to whom they are referring to.
    assuming it is a person they are referring to & not an action or cultural practice.

    classic meaning
    urban vernacular meaning
    most common usage meaning
    common public association meaning
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2021
  9. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    Those aren't contradictory or mutually exclusive.

    You could find people anywhere on this chart:

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  10. geordief Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,118
    Part of me is at 225 degrees ,not too sure how far along the line out from the centre (easy to mix up self image and objective reality ,though)

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  11. exchemist Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    12,451
    You've got the sense of this word a bit wrong. It means neither.

    It really means someone with intellectual tastes - perhaps the sort of person with a domed forehead who you might find in a Hampstead bookshop, or at an early music recital or modern art exhibition. It is neither pejorative nor an expression of formidable intellect.

    My wife, who was French, managed one of her best Franglais mixed metaphors out of this, once describing a challenging art exhibition as "a bit above my eyebrows" - a conflation of "it was over my head" with "it was highbrow".

    A French person can't pronounce the H, so" highbrow" becomes "eyebrow" and, as she, actually, had fairly highbrow taste, she was right to suggest, though unintentionally, that it was not exactly over her head, but getting on that way.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  12. geordief Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,118
    Ce qui a dû lever les surcils à certains.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
    exchemist likes this.
  13. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,057
    Moe: "We'll be paupers. Paupers!"
    Curly: "But we're not even married."
     

Share This Page