OMG, SpaceMonkey - what an interesting post!
Some Internet sources suggest that the grand tradition of flipping The Bird was born in the 1415 Battle of Agincourt, when French soldiers taunted English by threatening to cut off their middle fingers so they couldn’t draw their bows.
When the English won, they supposedly raised their middle fingers at the defeated French, shouting, “We can still pluck you [with our bows].” As the story goes, the expression “pluck you” transmogrified into … Well, you know.
“It’s a great tale. I wish it were true,” says Patterson. “But the evidence suggests it’s just a good story.”
To be sure, other countries have other dirty gestures. Don’t raise a single pinky in China. A crooked finger won’t get you far in Indonesia. And a thumbs up sign means something entirely different in Italy. That's an awesome story.
I think I'll keep my bird fingers, thumbs, and pinkies in a holster.... I wouldn't want to get into trouble, ya know.
