Census Quote by Elspeth Huxley
“One of the stock Sydney jokes is of the census-taker who enquires: 'How many children have you, ma'am?' 'Two living and three in Melbourne.'”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Bantu Family, 1939
Humor can reveal cultural differences, especially in how people count and value family members.
In simple terms: A joke shows how census questions expose cultural quirks.
Key Takeaway
Use humor to understand and respect cultural perspectives.
Themes
culture
humor
communication
Mood
lighthearted
thoughtful
Type
social
anthropological
When to use this quote
- census design
- cross‑cultural training
- multicultural team building
Key Concepts
anthropology
social norms
language
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ask sensitive questions respectfully?
- What role does humor play in bridging cultural gaps?
A Different Perspective
Jokes may reinforce stereotypes if not contextualized.
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![“One thing that's really interesting is not only the magnitude of the recent immigration into this country, but also its distribution and its investment in the country. About 9.3 percent of the population is now foreign-born [announced by the Census Bureau at over 10 percent a few days later]…” quote by Kenneth Prewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1ec/kenneth-prewitt-70686_big-cities_one-thing-that-s-really-interesting-is-n_122203.jpg)
![“Money nowadays is money; money brings office; money gains friends; everywhere the poor man is down. [Lat., In pretio pretium nunc est; dat census honores, Census amicitias; pauper ubique jacet.]” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fdc/ovid-276_census_money-nowadays-is-money-money-brings-off_383990.jpg)
