WHAT IS A HIGHBROW?

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19759, 9 April 1926, Page 11

WHAT IS A HIGHBROW?

CONFUSED MEANINGS. ENGLISH AND AMERICAN DEFINITION. If, as some like to think, the language of England and Ameri a is destined eventually to be the language of the white world, it appears to be necessary that a joint commission should be appointed to consider the standardising of certain expressions common to England and America but bearing different meanings in the two countries. We need for our language something analogous to the French Academy, declares a correspondent of the Manchester Guardian. Take the word “ highbrow.” Over here we know pretty well what we mean by that word; it is an expression signifying the illuminati, the cultured few, and, as we naturally dislike people who affect a higher culture than our own, it is often used with unfriendly intention. But it appears that in America, or some parts of America, the word has quite another significance. Governoj “ Ma ” Ferguson, of Texas, who seems to be finding ’’ this King business ” rather difficult, is starting a campaign against rich bootleggers, pointing out that the rich do with impunity what the poor cannot do without finding themselves in gaol. She is urging her critics to “ help her to detect a few of the big highbrows ” who are most blameworthy. But these highbrows are not at all what we should call highbrows. Apparently they are wealthy business men, a millionaire oil magnate, a district judge, and a newspaper proprietor whose pleasure it seems to be to exhibit himself drunk (with impunity) in public places. It is all very perplexing.