Taking Sides: The Finger vs. The Fingers

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american abusive hand signal vs. british abusive hand signal FITE!!!

― di smith (lucylurex), Sunday, 6 October 2002 01:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Digitus impudicius (or something like that).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 6 October 2002 01:21 (twenty-three years ago)

i use both.

― donna (donna), Sunday, 6 October 2002 03:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I do it like chevy chase

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 6 October 2002 03:15 (twenty-three years ago)

In Canada we like to keep it simple, so we just throw beer bottles instead.

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 6 October 2002 03:32 (twenty-three years ago)

i liked that pic of sporty spice where she is really drunk & flippin off with THREE fingers.

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Sunday, 6 October 2002 04:34 (twenty-three years ago)

personally i use 2. 1 reminds me of a person i despise.

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Sunday, 6 October 2002 04:35 (twenty-three years ago)

i know what the one fingered fingers is supposed to symbolise but i don't know what is the two-fingered fingers supposed to symbolise? is it like a womans legs spread or sumthin?

― di smith (lucylurex), Sunday, 6 October 2002 04:46 (twenty-three years ago)

one story about the origin of "the fingers" is that english longbowmen who were captured at the battle of agincourt had their bow pulling fingers chopped off so for the rest of whatever war that was when the english came into view of french soldiers they waved their shooting fingers at them before shooting them. i don't know though.

― unknown or illegal user (doorag), Sunday, 6 October 2002 07:57 (twenty-three years ago)

which two fingers is it

― ron (ron), Sunday, 6 October 2002 08:01 (twenty-three years ago)

it's the same two fingers as a victory sign, but with the finger nails facing out.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 6 October 2002 08:23 (twenty-three years ago)

it's really painful twisting the fingernails into the korrekt position

i heard doorag's agincourt story as well = it is rude bcz it is directed AT THE FRENCH!!

― mark s (mark s), Sunday, 6 October 2002 09:39 (twenty-three years ago)

The V sign is vanishing from Britain I think, being displaced by the American finger. I don't say this as nostalgia or nationalism (ah, the village green, cricketers telling the umpire to fuck off in that quintessentially English two-fingered way...), because I think the American way looks more aggressive and is therefore more successful. I find it almost impossible to use the V sign non-ironically now.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 6 October 2002 10:36 (twenty-three years ago)

haha back to basics martin!!

― mark s (mark s), Sunday, 6 October 2002 10:42 (twenty-three years ago)

One! But I never use these seriously, as I can never take them seriously myself so I presume no-one else does either. What is the "meaning" of the onefinger anyway?

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Sunday, 6 October 2002 10:50 (twenty-three years ago)

SPACESTATION PONGO TO THREAD!

― Graham (graham), Sunday, 6 October 2002 12:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I've been told it's something to do w/"bottoms", but I was about 11 at the time.

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Sunday, 6 October 2002 12:08 (twenty-three years ago)

correction to Agincourt story - it was a threat by the French before the battle to cut the archers' fingers off. since the English won at Agincourt no-one had their fingers cut off, and they taunted the French with them.

the 'American' style dates back to Roman times, if not before (although i read this in a Desmond Morris book i think, so of course it may not be true). the second finger is a phallic symbol, with the curled up first and third fingers on either side as the balls.

― michael (michael), Sunday, 6 October 2002 12:24 (twenty-three years ago)

more on agincourt story. the V probably dates back further if based on the finger severing, as this was standard punishment in feudal britain. anyone caught hunting the king's (i.e. any) deer for instance would have their fingers and sometimes hand cut off. allegedly the phrase "caught red handed" comes from the same law, i.e. if found with the blood of the king's deer on yr hands, blah.

― Alan (Alan), Sunday, 6 October 2002 12:56 (twenty-three years ago)

"What are the Finger Lakes?"

― Andy K (Andy K), Monday, 7 October 2002 00:19 (twenty-three years ago)

One finger - with two I feel I have to give an upward motion to make the meaning clear, while one finger I can just show = less effort.

― Poppy (poppy), Monday, 7 October 2002 01:02 (twenty-three years ago)

I like to only use the TWO.

I didn't even know about the ONE until I was about nine and we saw this naughty boy doing the one finger "up yours"; we were puzzled about why he was doing it "wrong"...using one is like - too close to be able to imagine you actuaaly shoving your finger up their ass...and that's a usually/potentially pleasant activity and I don't want them to have any pleasure!!! no but really I mean I only do the up yours sign in a friendly manner anyway I think so that's irrelevant. Maybe the one finger looks ruder so it might be more effective

― elizabeth anne marjorie spectra halo knifefighter, Monday, 7 October 2002 05:02 (twenty-three years ago)

one esp if my nails are real long and red or black or blue or any colour really.

― ducklingmonster, Monday, 7 October 2002 05:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Using two fingers whilst driving in the US = classic, caused you've told them to fuck off and they don't realise it sufficiently to shoot you!

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 7 October 2002 10:04 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.ananova.com/images/news/eggs_barryPA350x538.jpg

― RickyT (RickyT), Monday, 7 October 2002 10:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Barry Sheavils! Ta RickyT you have brightened my wreck of a Monday.

I was recently told that NO ONE gave 2 fingers any more, it was totally passé, what was I thinking?

― Emma, Monday, 7 October 2002 10:18 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.nothinglikethesun.com/graphics/Images-Spike/images/spike15.jpg

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 7 October 2002 11:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Have you not seen the Simon Cowell interview in this week's heat Emma? Tut tut etc.

(I was going to bring it in to scan but I'm too rubiish oh my life)

― Graham (graham), Monday, 7 October 2002 12:06 (twenty-three years ago)

When I was ten it was all the rage to flick between one finger and two fingers (preferably with a middle stage where the first finger was half-up) and shout "traffic lights!". Anyone else? No?

I rarely use either but I could happily use two fingers as a drunken "haha fuck you ps not really i love you aaalllll" accompanied by Gallagher-esque gurning, and I wouldn't do that with one because I'd think it would be more likely to cause actual offence. This is probably just because I'm a totally passé mentalist though.

― Rebecca (reb), Monday, 7 October 2002 12:48 (twenty-three years ago)

See:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/grrraham/simon.jpg

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 13:30 (twenty-three years ago)

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