Finger (gesture)

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In Western cultures, the finger (as in giving someone the finger) is a well-known obscene hand gesture made by extending the middle finger of the hand while bending the other fingers into the palm. A known variation includes extending the thumb as well. A variation of the gesture is also made by showing someone the back of the hand, with three fingers extended, and telling the recipient to "read between the lines". Another variation includes folding the ring and index fingers alongside the middle finger.

The gesture is also known as the "bird", "flipping the birdie", the "highway salute", "The New York Hello", "concert C", "sticking your middle finger up", "Showing Off Your Monkey", "The Canadian Turn Signal", and "flipping someone off". The gesture is mostly used as a non-verbal way of saying "fuck you". When both hands are used, it is known as the "double-barrel salute", the "double deuce", or the "dirty double". A more comical approach is to wiggle all five fingers and query, "Do you see these?" retracting all but the middle finger state, "Its a whole flock of these." (A distinct reference to the aforementioned "bird")

In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, the V sign (given with back of the hand towards the recipient) serves a similar purpose (primarily "fuck off"), whilst "the bird" is more often used for "up yours", "swivel on it", "sit and swivel on it" or "sit and spin".

In eastern countries like Iran the "thumbs up" gesture means the same as "the finger" in western countries which can result in misunderstandings.

In some African and Caribbean countries, the equivalent is extending all five digits, meaning "you have five fathers" (your mother is a prostitute).

In South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka, certain limited social circles use the middle finger gesture in the same context that it is used in western cultures, The same is true for most south asian countries. However, in Sri Lanka another version of the gesture exists, specially among the social circles not exposed to the western culture. In that version, the index finger is used in a similar manner to mean the same.

Origin

The origin of this gesture is speculative, and quite possibly thousands of years old. It is identified as the digitus impudicus ("impudent finger") in Ancient Roman writings and reference is made to using the finger in the Ancient Greek comedy The Clouds by Aristophanes. It was defined there as a gesture intended to insult another. The widespread usage of the finger in many cultures is likely due to the geographical influence of the Roman Empire and Greco-Roman civilization. Another possible origin of this gesture can be found in the first-century Mediterranean world, where extending the digitus impudicus was one of many methods used to divert the ever present threat of the evil eye.

There is a popular, but apocryphal, story about English bowmen waving fingers at the French army during the Hundred Years' War.

Another possible origin is the phallic imagery of the raised middle finger (the middle finger being the longest finger on the human hand), similar to the Italian version of the bent elbow insult. Also, there is a variation of the finger where it can be done by performing The Fangul, by sticking out the finger during the throwing motion.

Famous examples

In the media

Charles Radbourn gave the finger in 1886.
The band The Supersuckers perform the song " Born With A Tail " live , where the band tells every person in the audience to raise their middle finger.
Wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin often uses this in his gimmick in WWE when he's about the deliver the Stone Cold Stunner.
In the show South Park, Craig has the habit of flipping people off, which often results in a visit to the school counselor's office.
In the first Mr. Bean feature film, there is a scene where Mr Bean mistakenly thinks that giving the finger is a positive gesture, similar to a thumbs-up sign. Hilarity ensues as he drives around, giving the finger to a series of perplexed or angry townspeople.
In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Kirk and Spock are on a bus in 1986 and a punk rocker is lstening to loud music, Kirk asks him to turn it down and the punk flips him off. Spock then gives him the vulcan nerve pinch causing him to pass out, his head turning off the music as he falls over.

In politics

In 1968, captured crew members of the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) used a discreet version of the finger as a covert signal of "obscene derisiveness and contempt" (quoted from a newspaper caption) in propaganda photos taken by their North Korean captors. The gesture was explained to the North Koreans as 'the Hawaiian Good Luck sign'.
In Canada, showing the middle finger is sometimes called the "Trudeau salute" (or "Salmon Arm salute") after Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was alleged to have given the finger to protesters in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Popular mythology holds that there is a photo of this incident, but none exists. He had also used the gesture in the Canadian House of Commons. Prior to becoming Premier of Alberta, the then-Environment minister Ralph Klein was caught on camera giving the finger to a protester during a 1990 meeting about a contentious pulp mill project.
On July 9, 2003, Philip Wong Yu-hong a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in favor of the unpopular article 23, was seen giving democracy protesters the finger as he left the Legislative Council building.
Then-Vice President Nelson Rockefeller once gave the middle finger to a heckler, later denied doing so, but admitted doing so after a photo was later made public.
In 2003, the influential newsmagazine The Economist featured an illustration of a cactus tree shaped as if giving the finger on the cover of its September 20 issue. The illustration reflected the cover story, on the outcome of the Cancún ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization.
In some subcultures in the United States, it is known as the "one-fingered victory salute", which gained popularity after this video appeared on the Internet in October 2004, showing George W. Bush, at the time of the film the Governor of Texas, using the gesture while engaging in horseplay before beginning the filming of a public address.
In November 2004 President Bush visited Canada on his first official visit. As his motorcade made its way from the airport to downtown Ottawa he was greeted by many waves and signs. Some were excitedly welcoming him, others were telling him to leave. In addition to those giving waves of greeting, some people were giving him the finger. Bush responded to this saying, "I want to thank the Canadian people who came out to wave - with all five fingers - for their hospitality.
On February 2, 2007, Mirek Topolánek, prime minister of the Czech republic, gave the finger to left-wing deputies in the Czech parliament and later explained the gesture to the media and the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic as a friendly gesture towards Miroslav Kalousek, one of his cabinet ministers.
In British military spoof marching, commands such as "Left burn" instruct the troops to give the finger to the person or people on their left.

References

External links

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Last updated on Tuesday March 11, 2008 at 08:03:56 PDT (GMT -0700)
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