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[QUOTE]Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
[B]Does anyone know the story about how we got the "middle finger" sign?
When I was living in England the Brits told a similar story to explain the "two fingered salute". In England you use the 'v' sign to flip someone off. If the hand holds a v with the palm forward it means "v" for victory, if the hand is held with the back of the hand facing the target then it means f**k you. Take a look at old pictures of Churchill giving the "victory " sign. He is really flipping off the Nazis!
The story I was told many times was that it goes back to the Battle of Agincourt where a much larger French Army was going to do battle with Henry V's much smaller force. The Brits were counting on their long-bowmen and the French sent word that any captured archer would have his fore finger and index finger cut off so that he would not be able to draw the long-bow in the future. As the French came onto the field the Brit archers gave them the two fingered salute and then promptly slaughtered the advancing horsemen. Then the English horsemen and foot soldiers finished off the surviving French. Ever since then the Brits use the V sign with back of hand showing to shoot the bird.
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