How did giving the finger start and when?

Question

How did giving the finger start and when?

Answer 1

I don't really know, but I know in like Shakespearian times they used to bite their thumb at each other.  

Answer 2

i think it was back in ancient times when the Egyptians would clean their bums by putting their middle finger up the crack.

To signify that the ancient ritual had been completed (it was done annually), the people would give the finger to each other to let everyone know that they had completed the task. On some occasions it was even polite to do it to each other, but i'm not completely sure on that fact.

Thanks  

Answer 3

dont know and by looking at all the other answer there are a lot to choose from

Answer 4

In my knowledge it was when the British and French battled apparently. When the French took the British prisoner they would cut off the British man's middle finger, because the Brits used their middle finger to shoot their longbow. Therefore when they won the battle and at various through the battle they would show off them having their middle finger by holding it up in front of a French man.

Answer 5

Lol did you knoe that stiking your pinky finger in china meens **** YOU lol  

Answer 6

many people think it was at the battle of agincourt. but it was when the cortions invaded the persian toraith settlement. read the persian prince.    

Answer 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi9QW1KW1...

yea...funny

Answer 8

Contrary to popular belief, it was not from archers showing their enemy their finger hadn't been cut off. Can't remember the real reason though sorry :)

Answer 9

no it started in the 1200's imperial china when chinese emperor Yamito Xiong would order slaves and enemies to have all but one finger cut off (middle). The people whose fingers were cut off would often aim their finger to the emperor showing no respect and that that could not stop them from living in peace. Then eventually people started using that for disrespect and eventually became the F word

Answer 10

I've heard it was during the time when England and France were fighting.  Englishmen used long bows which used the middle finger to fire.  When taken prisoner, their middle finger would be cut off.  So when englishmen won a battle many of them would extend their middle finger to the French men to show that they still had the finger that was needed to pluck the longbows.

I heard this from a history professor named Robert Wuhl who has a a few TV specials, where he discusses different issues in history.

Answer 11

History is weird and funny  

Answer 12

I heard that some ancient city used to cut off the middle finger of thieves so the people that still had theirs would make fun of them by showing them their middle finger.

Answer 13

a while back, the equivalent to flipping someone off was to bite your thumb at them :o  

Answer 14

It has long been known that it started around the time columbus came to America and can be found in the book of useless facts.  One of the crew was cutting wood for a fire.  One of his mates came along was attempting make stakes to cook the meat they had over the open fire being dam near drunk he slipped and cut off the little finger and the one next to it. Unable stand pain he started flopping around and manage to get in the way of the axe cutting off his pointer finger they had his hand all bandage up save for the one finger left.  When ever he waved to his friends and  all they saw was the one finger it was meant as greeting in time it came to be an insult

Answer 15

the one about imperial china sounds pretty good i can see how that could turn into the F word

Answer 16

The origin of this gesture is speculative, and quite possibly thousands of years old. It is figured that a man by the name of John Boucher was the first to use this as a way to insult. It is identified as the digitus impudicus ("impudent finger") in Ancient Roman writings and reference is made to using the finger in the Ancient Greek comedy The Clouds by Aristophanes. It was defined there as a gesture intended to insult another person. The widespread usage of the finger in many cultures is likely due to the geographical influence of the Roman Empire and Greco-Roman civilization. Another possible origin of this gesture can be found in the first-century Mediterranean world, where extending the digitus impudicus was one of many methods used to divert the ever present threat of the evil eye.

Another possible origin is the phallic imagery of the raised middle finger (the middle finger being the longest finger on the human hand), similar to the Italian version of the bent elbow insult. Also, there is a variation of the finger where it can be done by performing The Fangul, by sticking out the finger during the throwing motion.

A POPULAR URBAN LEGEND INCORRECTLY STATES THAT DURING THE HUNDRED YEARS' WAR, THE FRENCH WOULD CUT OFF THE MIDDLE FINGERS OF CAPTURED ENGLISH ARCHERS SO THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO USE THEIR BOWS, AND THAT AFTER THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT, THE VICTORIOUS ENGLISH SHOWED THE FRENCH THEIR MIDDLE FINGERS WERE INTACT.

That guy up there is wrong.

Answer 17

During the Battle of Agincourt, The British archer gave the French knights the finger to signify they still had there trigger fingers (you use your index and middle finger to fire a bow) to fire their longbows. The French feared the English longbowman for they were some of the most formidable ranged infantry in history.  

Answer 18

i like this question.

but idk.

look at the first response.

it sounds really good and scientific