Why Do Some Words Sound Funny? The Science of Silly Sounds

Say the word “flibbertigibbet” out loud. Now try “brouhaha” or “kerfuffle.” Did you crack a smile? There’s a certain magic to words like these; they feel inherently amusing, tickling our brains in a way that “chair” or “document” simply don’t.

This isn’t random. The reason some words sound funny is a fascinating intersection of linguistics, psychology, and the very mechanics of how we produce and perceive sound. As a writer captivated by the quirks of language, I’ve dived into the research to uncover why certain collections of syllables are just plain goofy.

The Key Ingredients of a Funny Word

1. Sound Symbolism: The Bouba/Kiki Effect

One of the most powerful concepts is sound symbolism, famously demonstrated by the Bouba/Kiki Effect. In this experiment, people are shown a rounded, blobby shape and a sharp, spiky shape and asked to assign them the made-up names “Bouba” and “Kiki.” Overwhelmingly, people assign “Bouba” to the round shape and “Kiki” to the spiky one, regardless of their native language.

This suggests that sounds themselves carry an abstract meaning. “Kiki” sounds spiky because it requires sharp, quick movements of the mouth to produce the hard ‘k’ sounds (known as plosives). Funny words often leverage these “spiky” or unexpected sounds.

Think about the hard ‘K’ sound in words like cackle, kerplunk, and shenanigans. They feel more active and abrupt, and therefore more comical.

2. Playful Repetition: Reduplication

Language loves to play, and one of its favorite games is reduplication—repeating a word or sound entirely or with a slight change. This pattern is deeply rooted in the way we learn language as children.

Words like hocus-pocus, nitty-gritty, super-duper, and wishy-washy use this sing-song quality. Because we associate this structure with nursery rhymes and playful talk, it retains a feeling of lightheartedness and silliness into adulthood.

3. Unusual Sound Combinations (Phonotactics)

Every language has unwritten rules about which sounds can comfortably sit next to each other—this is called phonotactics. Funny words often stretch or break these conventions, creating combinations that sound novel or slightly clumsy to our ears. Words with clusters of consonants or jarring vowel shifts can sound amusing simply because they are out of the ordinary.

4. Onomatopoeia: Words that Sound Like What They Are

Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate the sound they describe. There’s an inherent, almost cartoonish quality to these words that can make them sound funny.

Consider words like squish, boing, hiccup, and vroom. Their humor comes from the direct, unapologetic link between the sound and its meaning. “The cat squished the bug” is a funnier sentence than “The cat crushed the bug.”

5. The Element of Surprise and Association

Sometimes a word sounds funny simply because it’s rare or we associate it with a funny context. The first time you hear a word like “codswallop” (meaning nonsense) or “nincompoop” (a foolish person), its strangeness is surprising. Our brains, not having a strong, serious connection to the word, are free to find it amusing. These words often feel like they belong in a comical storybook, and that association sticks.

Conclusion: The Joyful Quirks of Language

The funny feeling we get from certain words is a window into the complex and often playful relationship between sound, meaning, and human psychology. It’s a reminder that language is not just a tool for communication; it’s also a source of joy, surprise, and silliness.

So the next time a word like “wobble” or “cackle” makes you laugh, you’ll know it’s not just you—it’s the delightful science of goofy sounds at play.