highbrow

Guest   Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:17 pm GMT
I saw one sentence which went something like "France is famous for its highbrow cinema." Here, highbrow sounds like a positive thing and is synonymous to "very intellectual."
However, then I encountered a sentence like "he young reporter wrote the article in such highbrow English that the editor had quite a few laughs over his pretentious writing." Here, highbrow is used negatively, meaning pseudo-intellectual.
Can someone clarify?
furrykef   Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:20 pm GMT
It can be used either way. It all depends on the context.
Skippy   Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:43 pm GMT
"Highbrow," when I hear it, makes me think "pompous."
furrykef   Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:28 pm GMT
Merriam-Webster defines it as: "a person who possesses or has pretensions to superior learning or culture".

I interpret this as supporting my statement that it can be used either way. "Possessing superior learning or culture" is clearly a complement, but "Having pretensions to superior learning or culture" sounds derisive.

- Kef
Guest   Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:55 pm GMT
<<I saw one sentence which went something like "France is famous for its highbrow cinema." Here, highbrow sounds like a positive thing and is synonymous to "very intellectual." >>

It's not clear that "highbrow" is 100% positive in this sentence. Might the author be making a subtle hint about the Europe tendency to feel culturally superior to certain other regions (like the US)?
Uriel   Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:57 am GMT
Not necessarily. It just means that France tends to be known for mainly producing films at that end of the spectrum. In the US, PBS and NPR are usually known for being mainly highbrow in their programming; that's not a pretension; it's just a description. And there is nothing negative about it in that context.
furrykef   Sun Aug 12, 2007 1:59 pm GMT
<< "Possessing superior learning or culture" is clearly a complement >>

Argh, that should be "compliment". "Complement" is an entirely different word.