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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> The middle finger
        
(Message started by: Dragnlance on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 9:55pm)

Title: The middle finger
Post by Dragnlance on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 9:55pm

The history of the middle finger

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 hanged 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.

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by chewy on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:00pm

I thought the finger originated on the SouthEast Expressway in Boston.

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by Dragnlance on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:03pm

[smiley=crackup.gif] [smiley=crackup.gif]

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by Melissa on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:03pm

"Pluck yew!"
"No, pluck yew!"
"Yew plucking flocker!!!!"
"Oh, I'M a plucking flocker??"
"Yes, YEW ARE!!!"
"AM NOT!"
"ARE TOO!"

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by JDH on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:03pm

I just figured it was something Jonny came up with[smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by thebbz on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:10pm

Yew wahskawy wabbit [smiley=laugh.gif]
I figured the french had something to do with it.
jb [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by Jonny on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:15pm

on 03/02/06 at 22:03:45, JDH wrote:

I just figured it was something Jonny came up with[smiley=laugh.gif]

It was, I was giving it to Chewy on the southeast expressway.......thats the day he fell in love with me
:-*

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by chewy on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 10:19pm

Quote:

thats the day he fell in love with me

Lust

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by sandie99 on Mar 3^rd, 2006, 4:18am

;;D the more you know...

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by Kirk on Mar 3^rd, 2006, 4:55am

Here and I thought it all had something to do with the English giving the French the "shaft".
But then again, I'm neither English nor French. So I don't really know Onions about the matter.

[smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by BarbaraD on Mar 3^rd, 2006, 6:52am

Just goes to show yew -- It's NOT a bad thing after all....

Yew know - the older I get - the more salutes I give people....
Must have some English in me after all.....

Hugs BD

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by doodles on Mar 3^rd, 2006, 9:35am

Sounds like a buncha sheep.. oh no wait that's ewe.. my bad! ::) [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: The middle finger
Post by imnotbub on Mar 3^rd, 2006, 11:23am

on 03/03/06 at 09:35:06, doodles wrote:

Sounds like a buncha sheep..

did somebody say SHEEP???????? [smiley=cowboy.gif] [smiley=cowboy.gif]