モンキー and さる

[Valatunda]

According to EDICT, モンキー is a priority word. However it has a lot fewer example sentences than さる. So how common is モンキー compared to さる? In what way is モンキー used?

Also EDICT states that さる especially refers to a certain type of monkey. How prevalent is that?

[Oracle]

I'd disagree with EDICT on that: さる is the general term for monkeys, not any specific species. モンキー isn't a word commonly used except in 'proper names' eg. there is a Japanese band called "The Yellow Monkey" = ザ・イエロー・モンキー

[keatonatron]

モンキー is also the name of a popular model of motorbike.

It looks like a motorcycle but is super tiny and favored by high school students who aren't old enough to get a license for a real motorcycle.

[Mike Cash]

The only time I've heard モンキー used in a general sort of way is by people who want to talk about some form of primate while speaking to a foreigner and use it as a catch-all.

君はファンキーモンキーベビー！

[katafei]

You can trust Mike to come up with an example like that ^_^

(Off topic, but I don't quite understand how this is a catch-all? Not too familiar with that word...)

[Valatunda]

All right, I see. Thank you very much.

[Mike Cash]

katafei wrote:
You can trust Mike to come up with an example like that ^_^

(Off topic, but I don't quite understand how this is a catch-all? Not too familiar with that word...)

That wasn't a catch-all example. That was a song lyric from many years ago.

"Catch-all" means something that applies universally. Think of a net which indiscriminately catches everything. So "monkey" is not the correct term for chimpanzees or gorillas....but it is close enough that the other person can guess what you're talking about. The term can be used broadly (even though incorrectly)....thus it is a "catch-all" term.

[Adriano]

The right isn´t 黄色！　It´s イエロー..
americanization ¬¬