Where did the 'middle finger' insult come from?

Question

:)

Answer 1

that guy that was talking about agincourt had everything right except that it was the origin of flipping the index and middle fingers, knuckle side towards the french. so while its the origin of one offensive hand gesture, it isnt the one in question.

can you really imagine how much theyd have to train their finger to draw a 6 foot bow with their middle finger alone?

further research of mine (trawling the web) has shown there to be records of "f***************d" in roman and greek times. hmm...

Answer 2

my ex i think

she used it all the time with me

Answer 3

Jake, in Germany, the middle finger is known as the "Stinkfinger," so named because of the role it tends to play in certain parts of personal hygiene.  I'm not going into details any further-I haven't had breakfast yet.  Do the math.

Obviously to show that aspect of personal hygiene to another individual is a profound gesture of disrespect and contempt.

Answer 4

nam_miles wow, i never knew i though i twas from sign language or something.

Answer 5

:(

Answer 6

In some ancient cultures(greeks,romans and egyptians I believe) they believed that the middle finger was the direct line to your genitals. So when they showed you the middle finger,it was in refrence to their privates, hence; go get fxcked was born with the waving of that finger. Because that is what you do with that part of your body. Just like the ring finger is the one connected to the heart. That's why we wear wedding rings on the heart finger.

Answer 7

Great ? Maybe from a prostate exam without the glove.L.O.L.

Answer 8

The common English longbowmen of the Middle Ages drew their bows with their middle finger.  This powerful weapon, with its yard-long arrow, could puncture the armor of "gentlemen" with ease.  The French, in their wars with the English, found this very irritating and swore, when they captured a longbowman, to cut off his bow finger.  At Agincourt, the floweer of French chivalry attacked the English line of archers and were slaughtered.  As the battered French withdrew from the field, the English showed them that they still had their middle fingers.  It began as, and remains, a gesture of deep and defiant contempt.

Answer 9

Everybody hold out your middle finger and wave it at Michael Jackson.....

Answer 10

From the middle of the hand I would assume.