I used to go about saying, rather flippantly, that monkeys make everything funnier. One day I thought perhaps I should check my facts on this because it might prove embarrassing if someone else came along contradicting me on the matter and I didn’t have any research to back up my statement. For this purpose, I once proved scientifically that monkeys make everything funnier. Here is the study:

The Hilarity of Randomized Words Coupled with “Monkey” as Modifying Adjective

K. L. Morris, 2010

Background
It has been noted in past research that monkeys make people laugh. Some researchers have made the perhaps over-generalized claim “monkeys make everything funnier” (Morris, 2010). In this study, using a linguistic framework, the researchers seek to test the authenticity of the claim “monkeys make everything funnier.”

Methodology
Using the Random Word Generator (Plus), the researchers generated ten random words. They chose a setting of “average,” since that seemed most likely to give an unbiased response. If, for example, an “uncommon” or “obscure” setting had been chosen, the generated words themselves may have struck the participants as funny merely by virtue of the words being unfamiliar. As a matter of simplicity–since this is a preliminary study–the researchers chose to restrict their sample to nouns. The following words were generated:

Randomly Generated Words
Dissemination
Keg
Demotion
Potassium
Flare
Wick
Horoscope
Specter
Nakedness
Oozing

Researchers played recordings of the ten words–one at a time–to a group of 60 participants. Using a Likert Scale, the participants recorded how “funny” they thought the words were. The researchers then recorded each word with “monkey” added as a modifying adjective. These were recorded and played to a group of 30 participants. Using a Likert Scale, the participants recorded how “funny” they thought the resulting phrases and compound words were.

Randomized Words Coupled With the “Monkey” Adjective
Monkey dissemination
Monkey keg
Monkey demotion
Monkey potassium
Monkey flare
Monkey wick
Monkey horoscope
Monkey specter
Monkey nakedness
Monkey oozing

Results & Conclusion
Each randomized word, when coupled with the word “monkey,” was rated significantly higher on the “funny” scale than the word was rated when it was played by itself, with each word coupling rated at least 40% funnier than the word alone. This study does not reveal how paired words on average rate when compared with single words, and it does not reveal how “monkey” rates on a “funny” scale in comparison to other inherently funny words, such as “blithering.” Further research is required.