Guest guest Posted March 23, 1999 Report Share Posted March 23, 1999 FW: history lesson >>A Little history lesson for you...History of Giving the Finger: >> > >> >>>> > >> _ >> > >> >>>> > >> /'_/) >> > >> >>>> > >> ,/_ / >> > >> >>>> > >> / / >> > >> >>>> > >> /'_'/' '/'__'7, >> > >> >>>> > >> /'/ / / / " /_\ >> > >> >>>> > >> ('( ' ' _ >> > /' ') >> > >> >>>> > >> \ ' / >> > >> >>>> > >> '\' \ _.7' >> > >> >>>> > >> \ ( >> > >> >>>> > >> \ \ >> > 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! " >> > >> > 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 are mistakenly thought to have something to do with >an >> > intimate encounter. >> > >> > It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used w/ the >> > longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as " giving the bird " . >> > >> > And yew thought yew knew everything! >> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.