Where / how did "giving someone the finger" originate?

Question

Get a Grip and Cytopia.........fair dinkum?!?!

Answer 1

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." 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".

Answer 2

i know the two fingers (reverse peace/victory sign)
came about during a war or invasion in the middle ages some time.
the longbowmen (archers) were hated so much by the enemy that the king of the enemy promised to cut off the first two fingers of any longbowman he captured. so after every shot they would show that their index and middle fingers were still intact. hence creating another rude finger jesture that we still use today.

im not sure about where the bird originated from

Answer 3

The 2 finger (forks) insult came from the archers - the single finger is just a phalic gesture that signifies F@#& YOU.

Answer 4

It came from archers years ago in England.
When captured the middle finger was cut off from the archer as this was used for pulling the bow and made them useless.
The archers who could shoot their bow use to raise their good finger and yell "Pluck you!" at the enemy.

Well it's a good story anyhow.................

Answer 5

I dunno, good question. I give people the finger at least 5 times a day, in a loving way of course! *flutters eyes*