RE: Fwd: a little history lesson

[E L Wimett <SILVERDRAGON@Charleston.Net>]

Poster: E L Wimett <SILVERDRAGON@Charleston.Net>

Actually, Corun, the gesture we call the bird appears on Greek pots and Roman wall graffiti so I think it is just a fairly obvious biological image.  (Similar to the poetic iteration of the imagery of "I have a little cock" from the Greek lyricists through Romans --- most notably Catullus --- through the medieval and renaissance period to the age of acid rock. . .

Alisoun (reverting to professorial mode but refraining from quoting Steele Commager on the subject for fear of starting a Rialto-style religio-pornographic flame war)

-----Original Message-----
From:	Corun MacAnndra [SMTP:corun@access.digex.net]
Sent:	Tuesday, June 09, 1998 11:06 AM
To:	Atlantian Mailing List
Subject:	Re: Fwd: a little history lesson


Poster: Corun MacAnndra <corun@access.digex.net>

James of Rutland wrote:
>
>  The History of "Giving The Finger"

[snip]

This story was recently told by Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers on
their show Cartalk on Public Radio. I had heard this story several years
ago and have been told that it's more legend than fact. I'm inclined to
believe that it's untrue simply because in Britain the gesture indicating
the epithet "Up yours" is made with two fingers, the fore and middle
fingers together, in a backwards V for Victory sign. The middle finger
"bird" gesture is, as I understand it, American in origin. In short, the
Tappet Bros are even less a source for historical accuracy than they are
for automotive advice. ;-)

To add to the etymology of hand gestures, if you find yourself in Brazil
do not give someone the hand gesture for OK, making a circle of the thumb
and forefinger while holding up the remaining three fingers. It means the
same as our "bird" and could get you into trouble.

In service,
Corun

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