Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Joec123able on September 13, 2013, 07:26:06 pm
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The true meaning of flipping someone off actually has something to do with archery :
The English and French were at war. The English used Longbows, which were plucked to shoot an arrow. When the French captured English soldiers, the French would cut off the english soldiers' middle fingers, which made it virtually imposible to fire the longbow. In battle, when the English made the French retreat, or just to taunt them, the English would raise their middle fingers at the French to show them that they still had their middle fingers. That's where it originated. Over time it has taken on the meaning of F.U.
Yep dumb little fact but just wanted to let it be known
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that is really interesting.
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Read it before and saluted someone driving home from work.
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Read it before and saluted someone driving home from work.
LOL
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I read that before as well... Sounds good.
Being a sailor I have the answer to the history of the word shit. Its actually an acronym. Back in the day of wooden sailing vessels, folks were confused why the manure ships were dissapearing. Finally they figured out all that caca was letting off methane gas in the holds. Somebody with a lit lantern would go below to check the bilge and boom. the ship get disentigrated. So The decided to crate it up and ship it on deck where the gasses would not build up. They labeled the crates S. H. I. T. Standing for Ship High In Transit.
Another story for another curse word I wont spell is back in the days of kings, virgins couldnt marry and intercouse out of wedlock was forbidden. It was a set up for the king to get all the action he wanted. Well it turned out to be more than he could handle so he commisioned a fellow to help out. He of course had to have papers to fulfil his duty. His papers were titled, Fornicator Under Commision of the King.
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Actually, the word began spelled as "scyte" pronounced "SHITE". Chaucer used it in the Canterbury tales in the tale of the Monk. "And there beside the road I did scyte three great toords."
If you ever feel like impressing people by quoting great old literature, that's a wonderful quote to toss out.
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JW you sure know a lot of scyte.
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Gotta love Chaucer!
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Not to be a stickler, but what I've heard was slightly different - they would remove the index and middle fingers. So the obscene gesture was making a "V" with those two fingers. Not real sure which version is correct.
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Cam, I have heard your version as well. I believe one of them if not both is correct. They used to cut the thumb of captured kinds so they couldnt wield a sword, and cut a tendon on the leg of knights horses so they couldnt run. Also the big toe off of ground combatants ( I believe? ) so they couldnt run or have good fighting balance.
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Churchhill's use of the taunt was as much a "V" for victory as it was the traditional, symbolic act of defiance used by his forefathers, and many of ours for that matter.
Robby
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Not to be a stickler, but what I've heard was slightly different - they would remove the index and middle fingers. So the obscene gesture was making a "V" with those two fingers. Not real sure which version is correct.
heard that too...