# Funny Bone **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929 "2016-11-24T23:13:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/1 "2016-11-24T23:13:05Z")
Ouch! What’s so funny about it? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/2 "2016-11-24T23:17:46Z")
> [@SigMan](#): > > Ouch! What’s so funny about it? :dubious: Well, it’s at the end of the humerus. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/3 "2016-11-24T23:20:49Z")
It funny for the rest of us … ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/4 "2016-11-24T23:23:44Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Well, it’s at the end of the humerus. Cute, but sadly untrue. From [Word Detective:](http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/funny-bone/) [QUOTE=The Word Detective] “Humerus” comes directly from the Latin “umerus,” which simply means “shoulder,” but was used in English to mean the upper arm starting in the 16th century. “Ulna” is the Latin word for that bone in the forearm, and is related by a rather convoluted trail to the English word “elbow.” A “radius” in Latin is a spoke, staff or other rod-like object, so there’s no real mystery there. The term “funny-bone” (or “funnybone”) first appeared in English in the mid-19th century (“It is like rapping a man … over the funny-bone,” 1867). The “funny-bone” is not a bone per se, but actually a spot on the elbow where the ulnar nerve passes over the end of the humerus and is thus susceptible to pressure. Striking your “funny-bone” on a door-jamb or other hard object is likely to produce a strong, and sometimes very unpleasant, tingling sensation in your arm. The feeling is usually “funny” in the “funny-strange” sense rather than the “funny-haha” sense, although spectators may find your grimaces amusing. [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/5 "2016-11-24T23:31:04Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Cute, but sadly untrue. From [Word Detective:](http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/funny-bone/) Unless I’m missing something, I don’t see how that cite debunks the pun between humerus and humorous. I don’t think anyone was ever suggesting that the humerus was named after the funny-bone by somebody who could not spell. The hypothesis is that the coining of _funny-bone_ was a deliberate pun on humerus/humorous _also_ reflecting the odd sensation from hitting your elbow. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/6 "2016-11-24T23:36:51Z")
I’s funny because when you hit it, you are in intense, crippling pain. Get it? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/7 "2016-11-25T00:01:00Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I’s funny because when you hit it, you are in intense, crippling pain. Get it? see post #3 ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/8 "2016-11-25T00:14:13Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > see post #3 I saw it. And clarified it. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/9 "2016-11-26T02:21:24Z")
I’ve also heard it referred to as the “crazy bone”. Probably because when you hit it, it hurts like crazy. ? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/10 "2016-11-26T16:05:32Z")
The specific bone is the medial epicondyle of the humerus, which articulates with the olecranon of the ulna. The medial epicondyle is the large knob in line with the pinky finger (medial side of the arm). The olecranon is the pointy tip of the elbow. The ulnar nerve has to pass through a narrow space between them called the cubital tunnel, which forces it to lie near the surface at that point, making it vulnerable. The literal bone aspect of the funny bone is the medial epicondyle, because striking it transmits force to the ulnar nerve, producing the unpleasant sensations. Also, because the ulnar nerve has to negotiate that tightly packed narrow space that is also filled with muscles and ligaments, it can easily get hung up there (ulnar nerve entrapment), causing paresthesias and possibly nerve damage in the pinky and the adjacent side of the ring finger along with the medial edge of the hand. I’m currently having issues with my left ulnar nerve that way. Too much bending or compressing the elbow can lead to that. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/11 "2016-11-26T16:54:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Well, it’s at the end of the humerus. Excellent. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/12 "2016-11-26T18:25:26Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Unless I’m missing something, I don’t see how that cite debunks the pun between humerus and humorous. I don’t think anyone was ever suggesting that the humerus was named after the funny-bone by somebody who could not spell. The hypothesis is that the coining of _funny-bone_ was a deliberate pun on humerus/humorous _also_ reflecting the odd sensation from hitting your elbow. No mention at all of the humerus in the OED entry on _funny bone_, which is a strong indication that the humorous/humerus connection is a myth. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/13 "2016-11-26T18:39:36Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Excellent. Well known, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/14 "2016-11-26T21:21:08Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > No mention at all of the humerus in the OED entry on _funny bone_, which is a strong indication that the humorous/humerus connection is a myth. Yes, it may well be a myth, I was only commenting that the etymology of humerus and that fact that it preceded _funny-bone_ doesn’t speak to that. I guess the circumstantial case for the pun is that it really is quite painful to hit your funny-bone, so it’s nice to think that the coiner was making an ironic joke. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/15 "2016-11-26T22:06:30Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well known, actually. Well, ex-_cuse_ me. Thanks god for joke tellers there’s always somebody who’s never heard it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/16 "2016-11-26T23:14:36Z")
_Tibia or not tibia?_ Oh, that wasn’t the question… I wish there was more than one joke that can be made about the “funny bone”. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/17 "2016-11-26T23:23:40Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > I wish there was more than one joke that can be made about the “funny bone”. ☹ Me two. But at this point, if somebody were to talus _another_ joke with a pun on “humerus” I would just assume that he was trying to humor us. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/18 "2016-11-27T02:13:45Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Me two. But at this point, if somebody were to talus _another_ joke with a pun on “humerus” I would just assume that he was trying to humor us. I don’t have the slightest ankling of what you’re talking about. Humor my foot. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/19 "2016-11-27T02:27:58Z")
Self-referencing skeletal jokes. How metatarsal. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929/20 "2016-11-27T07:03:32Z")
Yeah, these threads have a tendoncy to do that after a bit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-bone/772929.md?page=2)