The middle finger sign is a gesture that is widely used today and is generally considered a negative expression. However, the origin of this sign has a rather interesting historical background. This sign, which started with the battle tactics of English archers during the Hundred Years’ War, has gained different meanings over time and has been subject to different interpretations around the world. Exploring this colorful history of the middle finger sign offers an enjoyable journey into understanding how people’s communication styles have evolved.
The middle finger sign is used in many parts of the world. slang It is accepted as. While in our country it is seen as a joking slang gesture, some countries take this gesture more seriously. So, what happened to the middle finger, which is a normal gesture when we look at its essence, and started to be used to express a slang meaning? Now let’s take a closer look at the history of showing the middle finger.
History of the Middle Finger Sign
The history of the middle finger sign dates back to the 1300s between England and France. Hundred Years’ WarIt is based on . This war for supremacy, which took place between 1337 and 1453, contains many stories. One of these stories is about the emergence of the middle finger sign?
It all started with English archers using their middle fingers. The British’s biggest trump card against their rival France in this war that lasted for years was always their archer units. These troops, who were raised from their families when they were still children, received training for many years. Archers, who were drafted into the army when they were in their 20s after rigorous training, made up 70 percent of the British army in the Hundred Years’ War.
The English archers of that period were the kind of soldiers who would inspire confidence in their friends and fear in their enemies. These soldiers, who used 2-meter long bows called Long Bows, used an arrow called Bodkin, which was 1.5 times heavier than normal arrows. This combination of bow and arrow could be extremely powerful, combined with the physical strength that archers gained from years of training. Archers, who could shoot accurately at a distance of 250 – 300 meters, were able to penetrate even thick armor with the traction they gained from these huge bows.
When we return to our middle finger sign, we see the way English archers used this arrow. A heavy weight from such a powerful bow. middle finger to launch arrowEnglish archers, who were stringing their bows with their bows, were showing their middle fingers to their French rivals before they started shooting. To briefly summarize, when the middle finger sign first appeared, it meant “I will kill you with this finger in a moment.”
The middle fingers of those taken prisoner were cut off. In a period like the Hundred Years’ War, of course, many soldiers were taken as prisoners. These soldiers could be returned through ransom or soldier exchange systems. Captured British archers were sent away with their index and middle fingers cut off, even if they were not killed. For this reason, they could not practice archery again. English archers, who were the protagonists of winning the Battle of Agincourt, an important battle during the Hundred Years’ War, made a middle finger gesture before each shot and said, “I’m not a prisoner and my middle finger remains in placeThey also wanted to express the meaning of “r”.
In some sources, it appears that showing the middle finger was used before British soldiers. Ancient Greeks are known to use their middle fingers to symbolize sex or express displeasure towards someone. Based on these expressions, it seems that the Ancient Greeks’ use of the middle finger is more similar to the expression today. The middle finger sign, which we encounter in certain periods of history, derives its current popularity from the story of the English archers.
Today, the middle finger continues to exist as a sign that is still used even after centuries have passed. While this sign is considered slang in the majority of the world, it has acquired different meanings and evolved throughout its history. Today, its meaning in sign language is “idle talk”.
