pluck yew

-=AlexXx=- · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 4:02 pm Post subject: pluck yew

The history of the middle finger

The History of the Middle Finger Well, now......here's something I never knew before, and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified. Isn't history more fun when you know something about it?

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 and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow 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!

Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F', and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute!

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.'
IT IS STILL AN APPROPRIATE SALUTE TO THE FRENCH TODAY!
And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing

spowell · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 4:35 pm Post subject:

nah dude its the index and middle fingers they used to chop off
same principle...stop them drawing bows but its the origin of the english v sign rather than middle finger

canalskater · Taco Bell Fa'Lyfe Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 649

nice copy and paste.

JeffKnox · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject:

i want some sources

-=AlexXx=- · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 5:01 pm Post subject:

i just read it somewhere, copy and pasted it... lol i just thought it was interesting, never said it was a fact... lol. damn....... relax. Neutral

go ride or somthing.

spowell · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 5:05 pm Post subject:

i wish i could...not ridden since what like september
anyway just checked it out n it appears its the main theory behind the v sign and as well is a possible explanation for middle finger, although they reckon it's from ancient greek's or something
but someone just did a barspin to tailwhip backflip on the dew tour dirt bmx Neutral

LFdisciple · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject:

-=AlexXx=-, haha, i enjoyed it man.

thanks for the post

DIRK · Posted: Jan 29, 2009 9:15 pm Post subject:

wow that was really dumb alex you are dumb what are you thinking Rolling Eyes

Le Jalapeno · Guest

yeah, this is why in england the "peace sign" means F you..... still good find!

-=AlexXx=- · Posted: Jan 30, 2009 12:38 pm Post subject:

DIRK, <3 lol

taku · Kickflip Joined: 10 Mar 2007 Posts: 2868 City: Central FL

You know in Iran, to flick someone off you give them the thumbs up. So if you ever see any pictures where they are doing that... they're actually giving you the big F. I'm half persian Smile

teefuss32 · Ollie Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 82 City: Carencro

yea thats crazy stuff, one of my professors just told us the story this week

YaBro · Backside 180 Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 624

-=AlexXx=-, Go eat an apple