Are you

Hmmm, it would depend upon whether or not the word 'snob' could be attached to it.

Whether someone is intellectual or not is a matter of perspective. My understanding of 'intellectual', as a concept, is about understanding or having the mental power to understand concepts - there will be, clearly, people who have never been educated beyond secondary education that would still be able to meet that criteria.

Now had you asked is being 'thick' something to be ashamed or proud of, I could answer that one

intellectual - noun

a person with strong intellectual interests - er, bit of a thinker so yes I suppose I could be................

Synonyms
double-dome, egghead, geek, highbrow, intellectualist, longhair, nerd

Related Words blue, bluestocking; Brahmin, mandarin, sage; intellectualizer, pseud [British]; brain, genius, intellect

Er, no, don't suppose I am...............

Oh I do like your post HollyDaze. Nice reply.

Me too, POGS. Why would anyone think being described as 'intellectual' was something to be ashamed of, or celebrated, for that matter...?

Yes well put HollyDaze. A fine intellect is indeed something to be celebrated but ideally not coupled with a lofty, superior attitude.

Blimey - does that mean I'm an intelekchewal

It could just mean that you have a good deal of common sense, HollyDaze!

Is there a difference between being intelligent and being intellectual?

I do not know, Jane, too difficult to work out, particularly using when's definition of an intellectual. What dictionary was that from, when?

It could just mean that you have a good deal of common sense, HollyDaze!

I'll settle for that Ana

durhamjen it was out of Merriem-Webster. I trawled a few and that was the one that gave lots of examples apart from the noun used here. A few really went to town on use of 'intellectual' to insult or imply having your head in the clouds.

Not an intellectual - more a thick thinker with a big mouth.

I would much sooner have common sense and able to use a bit of logic to get through life,

Interesting that so many of the synonyms are pejorative when. That sentence of course reveals that of course I am and not apologetic about it.
I think the term has too strands - being highly intelligent and having and enquiring mind and intellectual interests. Lost of very intelligent people don't have intellectual interests and lots of people with intellectual interests don't have a high IQ. But there will tend to be a correlation between the two.

I agree jess. I think intelligence is innate, whereas intellectual implies an interest in ideas and concepts, whether from the arts or sciences.
That is the value of education (or should be), to stimulate the intellect and interest in concepts and ideals.
I think I had a good education and am as intellectual as my intelligence allows!

Depends what sort of IQ, too, Jess. My spatial awareness, ability to interpret DIY diagrams and coordination are low, at the higher end on emotional IQ, and very hit and miss on Mensa numerical and picture-type tests. Can't/don't appreciate certain cultural arts like heavy opera. Being intellectual/intelligence seems to depend on context and opportunity to practice.

This reminds me of a Stanley Baxter sketch in his priceless series, Parliamo Glasgow:
Glaswegian: Erraperratooncooncillors
Translation: There go a couple of intellectuals.

Ah, the evergreen Stanley Baxter!

Does that make me an intellectual?

GNs might like to look up Howard Gardner's work on multiple intelligences. He gives a very good insight into individual differences in ability. He also brings into question those ' intelligence' tests many of us took at school. I wish I had known what type of intelligence I had, it would have made me far more confident when I was at school. X

Oh yes, J52! Gardner was the guru when I was teaching and researching education; superb theories.

anno

I used to work with a lot of self-proclaimed intellectuals. Most (not all) had no clue about every day life there heads were so far up their own bums. There was one chap in particular who was divorced and very lonely. There were some nice unattached women in the office but he said he couldn't possibly go out with someone who wasn't as high a grade as him or his intellectual equal. OK stay lonely then. He also used to say to some of us 'I shouldn't be telling this to you lower grades but.....'

their heads not there heads - I'm obviously not an intellectual

katy is it possible for non-intellectuals to have their heads up their own bums, do you think?

jane - oh yes perfectly possible