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Inherently Funny Words

Inherently Funny Words

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So apparently some words and sounds are just naturally funny, that is: p, b, t, d, k, and g are the funniest sounds in the English language - particularly when found in short words since these "create the greatest tension." Also numbers are found to be funny, so here are examples of supposedly funny numbers and words (courtesy Wikipedia).

-Duck, The word duck is sometimes called the funniest word in the English language. This was popularized by the Marx Brothers comedies The Cocoanuts (featuring their "Why a Duck" routine) and Duck Soup. Comedian Joe Penner's famous "Wanna buy a duck?" routine of the 1930s is another example. This effect might have more to do with the actual animal than the English word for it, as in 2002, after conducting a scientific cross-cultural joke experiment known as LaughLab, psychologist Richard Wiseman concluded that ducks are funny in all the studied countries: "If you're going to tell a joke involving an animal, make it a duck."

-Pants, Simpsons creator Matt Groening has proclaimed the word underpants to be at least 15% funnier than the word underwear. This idea is based on a theory by Futurama writer Ken Keeler. In the show Futurama, underpants is almost always used in lieu of "underwear."

-Ni (Knights who say Ni)

-Weasel, contrast the phrases "Richard Nixon wearing a necktie" with "Richard Nixon wearing a neck weasel", and "Scientists have discovered a 23rd moon orbiting Jupiter" with "Scientists have discovered a giant weasel orbiting Jupiter." You can improve the humor value of almost any situation by injecting a weasel into it.

And to conclude, the names of some funny places (or is it the funny names of places?).

-In the episode "Homie the Clown", Krusty the Clown tells Homer during a lesson at his clown college: "Memorize these funny place names: Walla Walla, Keokuk, Cucamonga, Seattle."

So the next time you have an important speech, or are giving a big presentation to Trump, remember, if you say duck or underpants at least 7 times each, you can't fail.