Language barriers --- financial barriers

[Allen W Thrasher]

In the hope of slightly relieving the depression that Michael Hahn's points may have engendered, I'll recount an anecdote someone or other told me about Harry Wolfson, the great scholar of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim theology and philosophy.  A grad student had a difficult question and was advised to consult Prof. Wolfson.  He went to his office in the top of Widener Library, and explained his problem.  Wolfson said, "I have just the thing you need."  He climbed a ladder to the highest shelf, reached to the back, drew out a pamphlet, and came back down blowing away the dust.  He handed it to the student saying, "You do read Lithuanian, don't you?"

There was another one I heard about Roman Jacobson.  When he first came to the U.S., his English was insufficient for lecturing, so in his first class he said, "Does everyone here know Polish?"  One shy student at the back timidly raised her hand saying she didn't.  He leaned over the podium, spread out his hands, and said, "Vell, TRY."

Si non e vero, e bien trovato.


Allen

Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
Senior Reference Librarian
Team Coordinator
South Asia Team, Asian Division
Library of Congress, Jefferson Building 150
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4810
tel. 202-707-3732; fax 202-707-1724; athr at loc.gov
The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Library of Congress.