A lamdan, like a talmid hakham, is something that is “she’en lahem shiur.” Talmud torah, mind you, according to the first mishna in Peah, lacks a shiur (no pun intended).
Therefore, being a lamdan, a masmid, or a talmid chacham is something that you strive for. It is a mindset of wanting to learn yomam v’laila.
I don’t presume to take any kavod whatsoever, but at work, very frum coworkers call me a lamdan because they see me always looking to shteig. I come to work with a Kehati mishnayos, and a source sheet I made from the Bar Ilan CD of a different inyan. I am interested right now in learning hilchos kissui harosh for men, so I came with the first teshuva in Igros Moshe printed out and a dictionary, and on my break, began translating the teshuva.