The History of "The Finger"

**Pete235** · 06-04-2003, 07:59 AM

The History of "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. English soldiers,
therefore, would 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' (Yes, you can look it up).

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 with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird".

And *yew* thought yew knew everything!!??

**palme** · 06-04-2003, 08:04 AM

So bad

**Juggernaut** · 06-04-2003, 08:26 AM

Pretty good one Pete, now can you tell me where the term "Cold enough to knock the balls off a brass monkey" came from? Queue the jeopardy music.

**EXCESS** · 06-04-2003, 09:11 AM

That was plucking stupid.

**Pete235** · 06-04-2003, 09:51 AM

Originally posted by Juggernaut2148
Pretty good one Pete, now can you tell me where the term "Cold enough to knock the balls off a brass monkey" came from? Queue the jeopardy music.

Back when canons were the main means of offence during a war, a device made of brass was used to stack/rack the cannon balls. This brass, triangular shaped rack was knows as a brass monkey. When the temperature dipped well below freezing, the metal would contract and this would comprimise the fit of the balls on the rack, and balls would start falling off the pile....hence "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey"

**956Vette** · 06-04-2003, 09:58 AM

Bow down to Pete the scholar!

**Juggernaut** · 06-04-2003, 10:51 AM

How true 956Vette.

Damn Pete thought I might catch you with that one. Let this be a lesson to all. A small brain should never duel with a much larger one.

Jugg