For S.H. Chang, a Yiddish philologist at Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, "doing what nobody has done" and "doing what others would rather not" are her lifelong mottoes. Chang, known as one of the very few Yiddish philologists in all of the world's Chinese communities, said in an interview with CNA yesterday that being a lonely student of Jewish languages, particularly Yiddish - "the language of exiles" - is no hardship at all so long as "you are keen to learn."
Good for her. People like that reassure me there's hope for civilization. Given the opportunity to have dinner with S.H. Chang or Jackie Chan I wouldn't even need a minute to think it over.
