answersLogoWhite

0

The middle finger gesture originated from medieval times. English bowmen had their middle fingers cut off by the French if captured because that was the finger they used to draw the long bow. It was a taunt from all those who survived to show they still had their middle fingers.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Who first gave someone the middle finger?

The origin of giving someone "the finger" came from back when bow and arrows were used in wars, prisoners would get there middle fingers chopped of because back then soldiers only used their middle finger to pull back the bow. As a pride thing the other side would hold up their middle finger to taunt the enemy. It wasn't until later that the gesture evolved into what it is today.


What does the cutting finger gesture imply and how was it begun?

Ah, the cutting finger gesture, also known as the "throat slash" gesture. It's a universal sign for "stop" or "enough." Its origins are murky, but it's believed to have started in sports like American football to signal a player's removal from the game. So, next time someone gives you the throat slash, just remember it's not a fashion statement, it's a warning.


What is the origin of the praying hands gesture?

The praying hands gesture is believed to have originated from Christian religious practices, symbolizing prayer, faith, and reverence. It is commonly associated with the Christian faith and is used as a gesture of humility and devotion.


Word origin of the word finger?

Phalanges


Why can you not point your middle finger?

It's considered rude and an offense in many cases. It's kind of like calling someone a bad word, only your not saying anything. It means "F*** You" and those words aren't nice. It's origin came from the Hundred Year's War. When the elite British longbowmen were captured by the French, they would cut off their middle finger, as that was the finger they used to draw back the bowstring with. When a Frenchman walked passed a captured longbowman, he would point his middle finger, the Frenchman bragging that he still had a middle finger. It's been considered an offense ever since.


What is the origin of the word rueful?

the origin is middle english


What has the author Robin Allott written?

Robin Allott has written: 'The motor theory of language origin' -- subject(s): Language and languages, Origin 'The physical foundation of language' -- subject(s): Gesture, Phonetics, Semantics, Symbolism 'The great mosaic eye' -- subject(s): Gesture, Human evolution, Language and languages, Origin, Philosophy


What is the origin of the idiom- finger in every pie?

The origin of the idiom finger in every pie is unknown. The saying means being involved in a lot of things or knowing about a lot of things.


Where did the middle finger gesture come from?

The origin of the middle-finger gesture is interesting. It comes from a gesture made by medieval archers. Let me explain. Medieval archers used the long bow, and to pull the string back required the strength of both the middle finger and the index finger. The main strength, though, came from the middle one. Try it, and you'll see. Now, when, during the Hundred Years War, for example, the English wanted to show how many archers they had killed during a battle, they would first go about the field cutting off the middle fingers of the dead archers, or, as the case might be, those archers injured but still alive and considered a future threat. They knew that cutting off the middle finger was enough. Without that one, the index finger would be useless. Therefore, when an archer wanted to threaten or taunt the opposing army before the start of a battle, he would hold up his middle finger from across the field as if to say, "Hah, hah! I still have what I need to put an arrow through your heart!" The so-called "peace sign" originates from the same gesture, although some would argue it comes from the shape of a dove's toes. But remember, the "V" sign was being made long before the peaceniks were using it: Churchill used it to mean "Victory!" He was making it correctly, for his two fingers hearkened back to the medieval gesture: some archers, remember, would hold up both their fingers--if they still had both. It is ironic that those who put up two fingers to indicate a peaceful intent are actually threatening the lives--they do not know this, of course, of those they are gesturing at.


What is the origin of 'Goodonya'?

Australian slang for "good on you", meaning "well done", as in a deed well executed, or as a gesture of encouragement.


What is origin of term index as referred to finger?

near ur thumb


Why is the middle finger the longest finger?

The middle finger is not always the longest finger. The length of fingers can vary among individuals due to genetics. However, it is often considered one of the longer fingers in relation to the rest of the hand due to its positioning in the hand's natural anatomical alignment.