Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Well, now......here' s something I never knew before, and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn't history more fun when you know something about it?

Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew"). :p

Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird." :) :D


IT IS STILL AN APPROPRIATE SALUTE TO THE FRENCH TODAY!

And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing. :rolleyes:

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

learn something new after reading the FR by bro machoman...................

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Now i noe.....:D

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Just to add on a little bit to Bro Machoman's definition, apparently,

after the English had kicked the French asses, they were stood there showing their middle fingers and shouting," We can still Pluck Yew!" But because they shouting across the plains, on the other side of the battlefield, the French thought the English were just waving their middle fingers at them and all they could hear was F**K YOU!

Now here's another interesting myth as well, do you guys know why making out is called to F**K? Apparently, after the Black Plague which killed a lot of people, then followed by the Great London Fire, an urgent plan was formulated to re-populate the kingdom, therefore people were encouraged to shag all the time. Therefore, it's Fornication Under Command of the King. :D

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Very educational . Thanks from both of you bros!! Cheers:)

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Interesting:cool: but to draw the long bow, I thing should need 2 fingers: Index and mid finger.

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

And showing two fingers (first & middle)meaning "Up U". But Singaporean girls like to pose the "V" while taking photos.:D

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Learn something new, thanks bro macho, all the while i think that because the middle finger is the longest of all, that the reasons, it is offensive.

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Bro macho ! Great piece of info ! And it all sounds so reasonable. :D

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

What do you know, you learnt something new everyday. Thanks for that bro.

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Very interesting, dint know there is such a history to the middle finger thingy. :D

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

That's interesting... it will be more meaningful for me the next time when i show middle finger to others... :D:D

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

Here's an extract.

Giving someone "the finger" is one of the basest violations in modern culture, but its origins date back over 2500 years. The first written record of the insult occurred in ancient Greece, where the playwright Aristophanes (the Adam Sandler of his day) made a crude joke mixing up the middle finger and the penis. Even back then, the bird was considered an aggressive, phallic put-down.

It has been argued by anthropologists that the finger is a a variant of a classic "phallic aggressive" gesture used by primates. By jabbing a threatening phallus at your enemy like a wild animal, you aren't just belittling him, but also making him your sexual inferior. Instead of using a real penis, civilized Janes and Platos called upon the substitute wieners within their own hands to mock, threaten, and humiliate opponents.

And boy, did it. When the Romans imported the art, music, and culture of the Greeks, the finger came along, too. Roman Emperor Caligula, a pioneer in perversity, frequently shocked his citizens by forcing them to kiss his middle finger instead of his hand. One of his subjects, Cassius, who Caligula often taunted as being too effeminate, finally had enough humiliation and assassinated him. Clearly, the bird was not to be taken lightly.

During the Middle Ages, the finger went underground. It was still known, but the Catholic Church frowned upon its use, as the middle finger was supposed to be holy in the Mass. The unholy insult lurked deep within the hearts of filthy- minded folks everywhere, hiding from sight until the 19th century when it began to crop up again thanks to a new invention -photography.

In 1886, Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn slipped his little finger fastball into the Boston Beaneaters team picture. The split-second art of photography could turn the once-boring painted portrait into a spontaneous work of rebellion, humor and spunk. Americans everywhere quickly got into the act.

Old Hoss Makes History With His Finger

In the polyglot, immigrant mish-mash of early 20th century America, the finger was the one symbol every man, woman and dog could understand. With the invention of the automobile, it could be delivered from behind the safety of glass & steel, and at great speeds. All the finger needs to deliver its punch is a clear line of sight. Check out THIS horizon line, baby!

Throughout the 20th century, the finger has penetrated all levels of society. Roughhewn farmers did it, hippies did it, and even the Vice President of the United States got into the act. At a campaign stop for Senator Bob Dole in 1976, Nelson Rockefeller was heckled by protesters telling him what they thought of his Vietnam war policy by casting their middle finger votes. Never one to back down, Rocky just flipped it right back.

Considering the Vice-president of the USA could flip off with impunity, it is no surprise that only a few months later, an appellate court in Connecticut ruled the finger was not legally obscene, releasing it from its gilded cage.

At the dawn of a new millennium, we can rest assured this once endangered bird is thriving. Today it appears in films ("Titanic"), books (Elizabeth Wurtzel's "Bitch"), school yards, and most recently, network television (on "NYPD Blue"). Instead of shunning this "obscene" gesture, we must treasure its rich cultural heritage. We are living in the Golden Age of The Finger. Get used to it.

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

FR?

Well, glad that you learned something new, bro louise2002.

SBF is educational, right?

Thanks for the additional info, bro whitegals.

You are most welcome, bro.

Yup, agreed but the middle finger is the 1 you use to pluck yew.

I believe the "V" was used by Winston Churchill after England's victory over Germany in WW II to signify "Victory".

It's my pleasure, bro Hoegaagen.

Well, actually I don't know if it's a fact or myth, bro bw.

Not sure if it's true though.

You have other stories of how the showing the middle finger means "Fuck You" eh? :cool:

Thanks for sharing.

Re: Why the Middle Finger Means FY
 

The 'V' sign with the palm facing outwards mean victory but with the palm facing inwards mean "up yours"

Also, from what i was told, FUCK stands for Fornicate Under the Consent of the King.This is what i was told when studying in Glasgow in the nineties.

Cheers!