Ever wondered why some words can make you snort milk through your nose or why little kids love to run around yelling certain others?

A pair of University of Alberta researchers say they91裸聊视频檝e analyzed what it is that make some words intrinsically funny.

91裸聊视频淣obody has really done a good job at predicting humour in advance,91裸聊视频� said University of Alberta psychologist Chris Westbury. 91裸聊视频淥ne of the reasons is they haven91裸聊视频檛 been willing to go low enough.91裸聊视频�

Westbury is co-author of a recently published paper entitled 91裸聊视频淲riggly, Squiffy, Lummox, and Boobs: What Makes Some Words Funny91裸聊视频� in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. His research may be the first to break down what makes us break down.

Like all great science, it builds on previous research.

Under the previous federal government, Westbury said a drought in science funding left him free to do something wacky.

91裸聊视频淚 thought people would think I was wasting their money if I did this on their dime.91裸聊视频�

He91裸聊视频檇 noticed that people often laugh at silly-sounding non-words, so he went looking for patterns. Garble like 91裸聊视频渟nunkoople,91裸聊视频� for example, was more apt to draw a smile than something like 91裸聊视频渪-attack.91裸聊视频�

On the strength of that research, he was sent a British paper to review that used statistical analysis to rank the funniness of nearly 5,000 words. Cutting-edge stuff, thought Westbury, but why were those words funny?

Westerbury91裸聊视频檚 27-page paper presents a 2,500-year literature review of philosophical attempts to get the joke. It may be the only academic paper that cites both Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, author of the book 91裸聊视频淔ear and Trembling,91裸聊视频� and Broadway playwright Neil Simon, who gave us 91裸聊视频淭he Odd Couple.91裸聊视频�

But nobody has really succeeded, Westbury holds. 91裸聊视频淣one of those theories are really theories. They91裸聊视频檙e explanations.91裸聊视频�

He wanted to be able to predict what people would find funny. To do that, he and colleague Geoff Hollis decided to focus on the most basic kind of humour.

91裸聊视频淪ingle words? It91裸聊视频檚 not really that funny, but even though it91裸聊视频檚 not that funny, it91裸聊视频檚 really complex.91裸聊视频�

What makes a word funny, he found, is a combination of two factors 91裸聊视频� sound and meaning.

Using sophisticated statistical analysis of three billion words worth of prose on Google, they found words likely to get a laugh tend to be associated with sex, bodily functions, good times, animals and insults.

But that91裸聊视频檚 not enough. They have to sound funny, too.

The 10 funniest words in English from a sample of nearly 45,000?

Upchuck, bubby, boff, wriggly, yaps, giggle, cooch, guffaw, puffball and jiggly.

The Canadian Press

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