History of the middle finger!

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History of the Middle Finger!

Well, now......here's something I never knew before, and 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?

Giving the Finger

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 weapon was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").
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!"

"PLUCK YEW!"

Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodental 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."

And yew thought yew knew everything!

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I love history. :)

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Originally posted by mendhak
I love history. :)

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Yeah I heard that I awhile ago but I didn't know where it (the saying) originally came from.

Most things have a reason :lol:

Oh silly, ignorant mendhak!

Nearly right. The frogs actually used to remove both middle and index fingers from english longbowmen. Hence the two fingered salute common in Britain to this day. The reason that the one fingered version came out is because americans can't count and they messed it up. :D

Labiamenthol frica- what now?

:lol:

One finger is easier to remove from your nose than two hence the American conversion :lol: :lol:

Oh wossname, you and your sily American bashing!!!

Well just for that you get a middle and index finger salute.

:thumb:

Do you have a webbed willy Mendhak ?? :wave:

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Originally posted by Cander
Oh wossname, you and your sily American bashing!!!

Well just for that you get a middle and index finger salute.

:thumb:

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I'm sorry I expect most Americans can spell silly. :lol:

:lol: :lol:

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

:lol: :lol:

Here are some extra L's


LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL:eek2:

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Originally posted by mendhak
I love history. :)

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You don't really believe that do you?

I do. I was there.

:afrog:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...5246385.htm?1c

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Originally posted by MartinLiss
You don't really believe that do you?

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I'm aware of about 4 or 5 stories of the origin of "****"...

One you sent me.
One was a full form relating to some law
one is this one

Looks like this will remain as one of the Universe's greatest mysteries. More eluding than GUT itself!

"Elusive" surely? :lol: