The Middle Finger gesture (possibly offensive)

The finger, as in giving someone the finger, known variously as the one-finger salute, the highway salute, flicking (someone) off, flipping (someone) off, flipping the bird, showing someone the middle finger, digital signalling, Thumbs up plus 2, or the Trudeau salute (in Canada) is a hand gesture made by extending the middle finger of the hand while bending the other fingers at the second knuckle. The Finger is a silent way of saying 'fuck you', using the finger as a phallic symbol. The reference to coitus may be strengthened by first wetting the finger or by sucking on it. The Middle Finger (possibly offensive) File links The following pages link to this file: User talk:Mark/Archive 1 Fuck The finger Categories: GFDL images ... The Middle Finger (possibly offensive) File links The following pages link to this file: User talk:Mark/Archive 1 Fuck The finger Categories: GFDL images ... Name Pierre Elliott Trudeau Number Fifteenth First term April 20, 1968–June 4,1979 Second term March 3, 1980–June 30, 1984 Predecessor Lester Bowles Pearson Successors Joe Clark John Napier Turner Date of birth October 18, 1919 Place of birth Montreal, Quebec Date of death September 28, 2000 Spouse... Military signalmen use hand and body gestures to direct flight operations aboard aircraft carriers. ... This article is about the vulgar gesture. ... A human hand typically has four fingers and a thumb The hand (med. ... Fuck is a strong and generally provocative (and offensive) swear word in the English language. ... Phallic symbols are forms or concepts considered to be representations of the penis (or phallus) and the fertility and cultural implications that are associated with the male sexual organ. ...

Origin

The origins of this gesture are highly speculative, but is quite possibly 2500 years old. 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. It has been noted that the gesture resembles an erect penis. The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... Ancient Greek refers to the stage in the history of the Greek language corresponding to Classical Antiquity, which normally applies on two ancient periods of Greek history: Archaic and Classic Greece. ... Greek comedy is the name given to a wide genre of theatrical plays written, and performed, in Ancient Greece. ... The Clouds (Nephelai) is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes lampooning the sophists and the intellectual trends of late fifth-century Athens. ... Bust of Aristophanes Aristophanes (c. ... The penis (plural penises or penes) or phallus is an external male sexual organ. ...

Ancient Romans also considered an image of an erect phallus as a talisman against evil spells. As a consequence, displaying this gesture to another may not have been a pseudo-sexual insult but rather an insulting statement along the lines of—"I'm going to protect myself against your witchcraft, before you even start" but an even earlier reference is made to ancient farmers using this finger to test hens for coming eggs. The term witchcraft (and witch) is a controversial one with a complicated history. ...

A popular but possibly apocryphal story that refers to the gestures of Welsh longbowmen fighting with the English (the Battle of Agincourt in particular is often mentioned). The French cut off fingers from captured archers (usually the index and middle finger of the right hand), and according to this tale the finger was a sign of defiance by those who retained their fingers, and thus could still shoot. An almost certainly apocryphal story is that "fuck you" is a corruption of "pluck yew" since bows were made of yew, or the phrase "I can still pluck yew!" This has since been proven false. In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English, Welsh Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff First Minister Rhodri Morgan Area  - Total Ranked 3rd UK 20,779 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 3rd UK 2,903,085 140/km² NUTS 1... A longbow is a type of bow that is tall (roughly equal to or greater than the height of a person), is not recurved, and has relatively narrow limbs circular or D shaped in cross section. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... Combatants Kingdom of England France Commanders Henry V of England Jean Le Maingre (Bouccicault), Charles dAlbret Strength 6,000-9,000 troops 25,000-50,000 troops Casualties 100-500 5,000-8,000 with over 1,000 prisoners The Battle of Agincourt was fought on 25 October 1415... Binomial name Taxus baccata L. Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. ...

This version was popularized by the Click and Clack Car Talk radio show. However aside from the inaccuracies there is considerable proof that the incident did not take place at the Battle of Agincourt.

Jean Froissart (circa 1337-circa 1404) was a historian as the author of the Chronicle, a document that is essential to an understanding of Europe in the fourteenth century and to the twists and turns taken by the Hundred Years' War.

The Chronicle is a primary source of information. The story of the English waving their fingers at the French is told in the first person account by Jean Froissart. However, the description is not of an incident at the Battle of Agincourt, but rather at the siege of a castle near in the Hundred Years War. Adding to the evidence is that by all accounts Jean Froissart died before the Battle of Agincourt, thus making it rather difficult for him to have written about it.

Bowfinger

In the United Kingdom and parts of the British Commonwealth, a two-fingered hand gesture, made with the palm inward (a V sign) while flicking the hand up, is considered to be highly insulting and similar in severity to the "one-fingered salute." The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... The V sign is a hand gesture in which the first and second fingers are raised and parted, whilst the remaining fingers are clenched. ...

On a recording of a concert in the UK, Jimi Hendrix can be heard saying "This does mean peace, not this." It takes little imagination to guess which gestures he made there. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Bowfinger is also the title of a Steve Martin comedy film that stars himself and Eddie Murphy. The film lampoons the people and institutions of the film industry. In this context, the title is generally interpreted as a friendly "screw you" to Hollywood and the movie industry. Bowfinger is a 1999 film directed by Frank Oz. ... Steve Martin (right) with Scooter, on The Muppet Show Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, musician, and composer born in Waco, Texas and raised in Garden Grove, California. ... Edward Eddie Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York) is an African-American comedian and actor. ...

Interpretation

'Giving the finger' Portuguese style, where the fingers surrounding the middle finger are bent to represent the testicles.

In the United States the gesture, which is often accompanied by a verbal insult ("fuck you" or "up yours" being quite common) is generally considered very offensive - perhaps twice as offensive when the gesture is made using both hands, or when accompanied by a vigorous upward motion of the hand and forearm. In Saudi Arabia, doing so but pointing t DOWNWARD is just as insulting because it is an implication of impotence. The Middle Finger (possibly offensive) File links The following pages link to this file: User talk:Mark/Archive 1 Fuck The finger Categories: GFDL images ... The Middle Finger (possibly offensive) File links The following pages link to this file: User talk:Mark/Archive 1 Fuck The finger Categories: GFDL images ... Impotence or, more clinically, erectile dysfunction is the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis for satisfactory sexual intercourse regardless of the capability of ejaculation. ...

Canada and most of Europe have a more liberal stance, and modest to heavy use of the gesture is tolerated. In Asia, notably in Hong Kong or Singapore whose cultures are westernised, the gesture is also a taboo. In Germany, showing it to an individual can be considered as an insult and theoretically is punishable with a fine of up to a month's income. However, enforcement is nearly unknown. A satellite composite image of Europe // Etymology Picture of Europa, carried away by bull-shaped Zeus. ... Look up liberal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Political progressivism, a political ideology that is for change, often associated with liberal movements Liberty, the condition of being free from control or restrictions Liberal Party, members of... World map showing Asia. ... A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom declared as sacred and forbidden; breaking of the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society. ...

In Portugal this sign is made holding the big finger straight between the other bending fingers. The two bended fingers closed to the big one stand for the testicles.

In China, contrary to the offensive nature of the gesture in other cultures, Chinese Sign Language used by the deaf of China employ this handshape to represent the first born male or number one son, a position of status in traditional Chinese culture. The word deaf, can have very different meanings based on the background of the person speaking or the context in which the word is used. ...

In some Mediterranean countries, and much of Asia, it is permissible to use the middle finger to point to something (on a written page for example) and some Western cultures often tolerate the use of the middle finger to point to things. However, in North America it is considered more polite to use the forefinger to point to something. (Even so, in the U.S. and British Commonwealth pointing at a person with any finger is considered rude, but using the entire hand to point at a person is acceptable.) The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... World map showing Asia. ... Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, for many a symbol of the changes of the Western culture during the Renaissance Western culture refers to the culture that has developed in the Western world. ... Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, most of which were once governed by the United Kingdom and are its former colonies. ...

Famous examples

In 1968, captured crewmembers of the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) used a discreet version of the finger as a covert signal of "obscene derisiveness and contempt" (quoted from a newspaper caption) in propaganda photos taken by their North Korean captors. [1] The gesture was explained to the North Koreans as 'the Hawaiian Good Luck sign'. 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... USS Pueblo (AGER-2) USS Pueblo, AGER-2 is a United States ship, famous for being boarded and captured by soldiers of North Korea in 1968 in what is known as the Pueblo incident. ... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia, covering the northern half of the peninsula of Korea. ...

In Canada, showing the middle finger is sometimes called the Trudeau salute after Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau because of a famous photo of him giving the finger to protesters in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. He had also used the gesture in the Canadian House of Commons. Prior to becoming Premier of Alberta, Ralph Klein was caught on camera giving the finger to an environmentalist protestor (although the protestor had made the gesture first). The Right Honourable Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau PC, CC, CH, QC, MA, LL.D, FRSC (October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 3, 1979, and from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984. ... Salmon Arm is a city in the interior of British Columbia that has a population of 16,466 as reported in the BC Stats(2004). ... The House of Commons (French: Chambre des communes) is a component of the Parliament of Canada, which also includes the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and the Senate. ... Categories: Canada-related stubs | Alberta premiers ... The Honourable Ralph Phillip Klein (born November 1, 1942), leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives, is current premier of the Canadian province of Alberta. ... Environmentalism is the support or involvement with the environmental movement by environmentalists. ...

George W. Bush gives a 'one finger victory salute'

In some subcultures in the United States, it is known as the 'one fingered victory salute' which gained popularity in 2005 after this video, showing President George W. Bush flipping the bird back when he was Governor of Texas. Image File history File links Onefingervictorysalute. ... Image File history File links Onefingervictorysalute. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States. ...

The highest elected US official caught flipping the bird while in office was Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller. At a campaign stop for Senator Bob Dole in 1976, Nelson Rockefeller was heckled by protesters telling him what they thought of his Vietnam war policy with their fingers. Never one to back down, (and believed by some to be starting to be going senile) Rockefeller [2]flipped it right back.

The United States FCC has banned display of this gesture on broadcast television as an obscenity. As a result the gesture is often censored, and airbrushed out or replaced with large-pixel blocks. This gesture occurs frequently on television shows like The Jerry Springer Show or on music videos shown on MTV or formerly VH1. A popular MTV show, Pimp My Ride featured rapper Xzibit taking a car with a pair of Mickey Mouse gloves with four fingers including the thumb. As Xzibit drives the car, he wears the gloves and flips off the camera. Despite the technicality, it is still censored. Wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin frequently gave the finger to opponents and into the camera lens on WWE television, sometimes uncensored. A Limp Bizkit video shows Durst in a nightmare sequence as a animated alien version of himself, he flips off the other creatures which is censored. The strange thing is how the video can censor the finger even though the animated Durst has only 3 fingers and a thumb. The FCCs official seal. ... The examples and perspective in this article do not represent a worldwide view. ... The Jerry Springer Show (first aired September 30, 1991) is a television talk show videotaped in Chicago, Illinois that has aired during the morning hours of many syndicated TV stations since the late 1990s. ... A music video (also video clip, promo) is a short film or video meant to present a visual representation of a popular music song. ... .mtv may also refer to a basic video format used on MP4 players coming out of China MTV: Music Television is a cable television network which was originally devoted to music videos, especially popular rock music. ... VH1 (which originally stood for Video Hits 1) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment (then a division of Warner Communications and then-current owners of MTV, which originally came up with the idea of the channel). ... Pimp My Ride logo Pimp My Ride is a TV show originally shown on MTV, with the first episode airing on March 4, 2004. ... Xzibit Xzibit is the stage name of Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born January 8, 1974). ... Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is a comic animal cartoon character who has become a symbol for The Walt Disney Company. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Stone Cold Steve Austin Steve Williams (born December 18, 1964), better known by his stage name Stone Cold Steve Austin, is a professional wrestler from Victoria, Texas, USA. His birth name was Stephen James Anderson; he took on the surname Williams when... World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE, is a professional wrestling promotion, currently the largest in North America. ...

A Saturday Night Live sketch parodying The Weakest Link featured Rachel Dratch (as Anne Robinson) giving the finger. Dratch held her middle finger downwards (this was uncensored), asking one of the contestants, "Can you hear this?" The contestant replied, "No," and Dratch said, "Then let me turn it up for you." When her finger was about horizontal, censoring appeared. Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute comedy-variety show from NBC which has been broadcast nearly every Saturday night since its debut on October 11, 1975. ... The Game Show, Weakest Link The Weakest Link (now officially titled Weakest Link) is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two in 2000. ... It has been suggested that Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches (listed by cast member) be merged into this article or section. ... Anne Robinson Anne Josephine Robinson (born September 26, 1944 in Merseyside, England) is an English television presenter and TV host who is most famous for hosting the BBC game show The Weakest Link. ...

A 1994 episode "The Pledge Drive" of Seinfeld featured a plotline where George believes people are giving him the finger. The finger was actually shown on camera, but never explicitly, such as a waitress scratching her face with her middle finger, and a guy with a broken hand with the splint leaving the middle finger straight, a joke frequently used in films. The following is an episode list for the NBC series, Seinfeld. ... Seinfeld is a television sitcom which ran from July 5, 1989 to May 14, 1998. ... Jason Alexander as George Costanza George Louis Costanza is a fictional character on the US television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), played by Jason Alexander. ...

Rowan Atkinson in Mr Bean the movie, while living temporarily on the west coast of the States discovers the expression without understanding its meaning, and a section of the movie shows the Mr Bean character sitting in a car and giving everyone in sight the finger. Rowan Atkinson on promotion tour for his movie Bean in Hürth, Germany August, 1997 Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born January 6, 1955 in Consett, County Durham, England) is an English comedian, actor and writer best known for playing the title roles in the UK TV series Blackadder and Mr. ... Mr. ...

See also

• Gesture
• V sign
• Shocker
• Super Finger

Military signalmen use hand and body gestures to direct flight operations aboard aircraft carriers. ... The V sign is a hand gesture in which the first and second fingers are raised and parted, whilst the remaining fingers are clenched. ... Example of the Shocker. ... Dane Cooks Super Finger (Su-Fi) The Super Finger or Su-Fi (pronounced SUE-F-EYE) is a hand gesture created by the comedian, Dane Cook. ...

External links

• Debunking of apocryphal story about medieval archers and their usage of the middle finger (from Snopes.com)
• http://www.ooze.com/finger - the online component to the book, "The Finger: A Comprehensive Guide to Flipping Off" featuring historical and cultural perspectives on the 2500 year history of giving people the bird.
• Legal history of the finger, from ChipRowe.com
• http://www.mikewirthart.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=23 - A film by Mike Wirth which seeks to discover the origin of the middle finger as offending gesture.
• The Straight Dope What is the origin of "the finger"?

• Bonestamp.com A Give-the-finger Emporium !