How come sticking up your middle finger means F off?

Answer 1

The middle finger originates from all over. Greeks used it as a variant of a classic "phallic aggressive" gesture. Instead of using their real penis, the used their middle finger as a substitute to mock, threaten, and humiliate opponents. The Romans evolved this gesture of obscene behavior from the Greeks. Another possible origin of this gesture can be found in the first century Mediterranean world, where extending the middle finger was one of many methods used to divert the threat of the 'evil eye'.

Here is another well known way the middle finger came to be was from the English and French War. When the French would capture English prisoners of war, they would cut off their to first fingers. Making it impossible to be able to use an English long bow. Therefore, they could no longer be useful in war.

The English longbow was made of the Native Yew Tree. So The French would mock their opponents by showing their middle finger was still intact. Along with this they would say "Pluck Yew" Although this is harder to say the words evolved to be know as **** yew. Substituting the PL for and F.

In the middle ages the middle finger became underground, because it was frowned upon by catholic churches; until the invention of Photography let the middle finger be shown once again.

In the 19th century the middle finger still has been very used. In 1184, the hall of fame, Baseball Pitcher, Charles Radborn sneaked his finger into a team picture, Americans had caught onto the trend and all over America the middle finger was introduced.

Today the middle finger is used and know worldwide and is a thriving trend that isn't going away anytime soon. And there you go, now your an expert on the origin of the middle finger.