At 09:59 AM 5/14/97 -0500, Paul Healey wrote:
>At the risk of sounding like I'm quibbling (allright, I really am
>quibbling!), the history of the "finger salute" and the associated
>term "bird" are deeper and broader than the posting below implies.
>
>Quibble 1: The negative implications of the middle finger go back to
>ancient times. According to Harper's Latin Dictionary (1879), in
>Latin the middle finger was referred to as "digitus impudicus" or
>"digitus infamis" meaning shameful, impudent or infamous. The Random
>House Historical dictionary of American Slang supports this origin.
>No reason for the association is given, but it is apparently quite
>old.
>
>Quibble 2: While the Welsh longbow did indeed destroy the flower of
>chivalry in the Hundred Years War, it was at the battle of Poitiers
>(about 1350, or 65 years before Agincourt) where a trapped and
>outnumbered British force used longbows to surprise and decimate
>their French opponents, in the process taking the King of France
>prisoner. Barbara Tuchman's "A distant mirror: a history of the 14th
>century" contains an excellent description of the longbow factor,
>the battle of Poitiers, and its consequences.
>
>Quibble 3: The term "bird" (according to the Random House slang
>dictionary) is an extremely broad slang term, and can be applied to a
>number of negative actions from the infamous finger to a Bronx cheer
>or raspberry to a turncoat. It seems a bit narrow to ascribe it
>solely to shooting an arrow (although that connotation does have some
>logic).
>
>Well, I'll quibble off into the sunset now (aren't you glad you don't
>live with me?).
>
>Paul D. Healey
>William Mitchell College of Law Library
>phealey@wmitchell.edu
>
>>Phone: 612.290.6306 Fax: 612.290.6318
>e-mail: phealey@wmitchell.edu
>
Paul,
You are right. I sure am glad I do not live with you. (my wife would be
pretty upset :>) ) But I do love a good quibble.
Quibble to Quibble 1: The attorney I did the research for wanted more
substance than the mere definitions from a dictionary. Especially giving
that the listings are not attached to reasons behind them. One of our
colleagues (Brendan Starkey), indicated that an article he read said,
"Caligula used to humiliate his subjects by extending his hand to be kissed
with the middle finger pointed outward". This connects to your "digitus
impudicus"
Quibble to Quibble 2: The first use of the longbow used by the English to
defeat French troops was not an issue at hand (pun). The French threat to
cut off the English archers middle fingers at Agincourt was the sole issue.
Besides, it was at Agincourt that French knights were defeated in mass
numbers by the famous Welsh longbow and not at Poitiers. This is where the
"invincible knight" myth was shattered.
Quibble to Quibble 3: Please, don't you have any other resources than a
dictionary? While a dictionary is a wonderful resource tool, it is very
dry. My research has brought laughter and cheer to our brothers and
sisters, lending thoughts to Monty Python and the like. Your dictionary
findings on the other hand, well put one to sleep :>)
All meant in good clean fun old boy.
Cheerio and all that stuff,
Eric
***************************************************************
Eric M. Kaufman, Senior Reference Librarian
New York County Lawyers' Association
14 Vesey Street New York, N.Y. 10007
Tel#: (212) 267-6646, ext. 204
Fax#: (212) 791-6437
E-mail: ekaufman2@mindspring.com
"Any opinions expressed are my own and not those of NYCLA"
***************************************************************
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