The history of "giving the finger"

Simo Häyhä · **The history of "giving the finger" -** 03-27-2003, 09:54 PM

For ya'll who thought you knew everything ...

A History of 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 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!"

Over the years some 'folk etymologies' have grown up around this symbolic gesture. Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say (like "pleasant mother pheasant plucker," which is who you had to go to for the feathers used on the arrows for the longbow), 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 are mistakenly thought to have something to do with an intimate encounter.

It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird".

And yew all thought yew knew everything!

Pyro · 03-27-2003, 09:54 PM

03-27-2003, 09:56 PM

of all people I learned that one from my high school Botany teacher

Maplegyver · 03-27-2003, 09:57 PM

PLUCK YEW= fu*k you oOo:

Tripper · 03-27-2003, 10:01 PM

My 3rd form english teacher taught me that story......The whole 'Pluck Yew' thing is a load of bollocks though, from what I've heard.

Arkan · 03-27-2003, 10:23 PM

Hehe, the F****h strike again !!

03-27-2003, 10:34 PM

that pluck yew stuff is total bs. the f word wasnt even invented back then

Muff Diver · 03-27-2003, 10:37 PM

meh. funny story.

03-28-2003, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripper

My 3rd form english teacher taught me that story......The whole 'Pluck Yew' thing is a load of bollocks though, from what I've heard.

im sure if you heard it it must be true.

Tripper · 03-28-2003, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUTCH

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripper

My 3rd form english teacher taught me that story......The whole 'Pluck Yew' thing is a load of bollocks though, from what I've heard.

im sure if you heard it it must be true.

Yeah, I have an opinion. I bet you wish you could have one, too bad you're too busy getting OWNED. Go take a rest and get ready to be superbly owned, grandpa.