What is the true meaning of the old one finger salute?

Giving/flipping one the bird?

What is the true origin of the statement: F**K YOU !!

History buffs on your mark..get ready..Go...

-- justa, (ponderin with the history@nd books.com), July 11, 2000

Answers

If you have to ask...........you are too young, far to young to know.

-- cpr (buytexas@swbell.net), July 11, 2000.

CPR is dumb, unable to see anything but the obvious.

-- (cpr@is.dummy), July 11, 2000.

That's an interesting thought. I wonder if it is documented who was the first one to use some of these words, and how they caught on to become part of the typical American vocabulary...

tit

pussy

shit

dick

... etc, etc.

-- Hawk (flyin@hi.again), July 11, 2000.

Just ask which finger they see :-)

-- Netghost (ng@no.yr), July 11, 2000.

Agree with cpr on this one.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), July 11, 2000.

Olde English visual eqivalent of "up yours" I believe. Them buggers did enjoy calling each other buggers.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), July 12, 2000.

Who was the first person to say the word "shit"? Was it based on another word, or just a sound, and how come it became so popular among Americans?

-- Hawk (flyin@hi.again), July 12, 2000.

tit short for teat I guess.

More contemporary, where did "rat bastard" come from besides Kevin Spacey.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), July 12, 2000.

"Shit" is found throughout an ecclesiastical document written early in this millenium. Look to the Canterbury Tales for further information on what we call "modern" words.

-- Im (lol@history.com), July 12, 2000.

Originaly started in medival times in war(s) between English and French knights. The French knights suffered great losses in battle from English longbowmen who used 6' longbows made from 'yew' trees who launched 3' arrows with heavy tips that could pierce the French knight armor. The French king after suffering these losses threatened the cut off the middle fingers of all captured bowmen..evidently these bows were so hard to pull that the middle finger was essential..after after future battle the English bowmen would extend this finger in defiance and could be heard to yell "pluck yew"

I only heard this (as told) but was interested in hearing from this forums many intelligent contributors and possibly learning more of the details if true..dates,places of the war(battles).. but maybe I was wrong to come here for that..

-- justa, (ponderin and disappointed@response.com), July 12, 2000.

Fuck you

Perhaps one of the most interesting and colorful words in the English language today is the word "Fuck". It is one magical word which, just by its sound, can describe pain, pleasure, love and hate. In language, "Fuck" falls into many grammatical categories. It can be used as a verb, both transitive (John fucked Mary) and intransitive (John fucked). It can be an active verb (John really gives a fuck) or a passive verb (John was fucked by Mary), or an adverb (Mary is fucking interested in John), and a noun (Mary is a terrific fuck). It can be used as an adjective (Mary is fucking beautiful). As you can see, there are a very few words with the versatility of "Fuck".

Besides its sexual connotation, this incredible word can be used to describe many situations:

Greetings: "How the fuck are you?"

Fraud: "I got fucked by the car dealer."

Dismay: "Oh, fuck it!"

Trouble: "Well, I guess I'm fucked now."

Aggression: "Fuck you!"

Disgust: "Fuck me."

Confusion: "What the fuck...?"

Difficulty: "I don't understand this fucking business."

Despair: "Fucked again."

Incompetence: "He fucks up everything."

Displeasure: "What the fuck is going on here?"

Lost: "Where the fuck are we?"

Disbelief: "Unfuckingbelievable!"

Retaliation: "Up your fucking ass!"

Confused Aggression: "How the fuck should I know?"

It can be used in an anatomical description - "He's a fucking asshole."

It can be used to tell time - "It's five fucking thirty."

It can be used in business - "How did I wind up with this fucking job?"

It can be used to command silence - "Shut the fuck up!"

It can be maternal - "You Motherfucker."

It can be political - "Fuck Tip O'Neill!"

And never forget General Custer's last words: "Where did all them fucking Indians come from?" Also, the famous last words of the Mayor of Hiroshima: "What the fuck was that?" And, last but not least, the immortal words of the Captain of the Titanic who said: "Where is all this fucking water coming from?" The mind fairly boggles at the many creative uses of the word! How can anyone be offended when you say "Fuck"? Use it frequently in your daily speech; it will add to you prestige.

Today....say to someone:

"Fuck you"

-- Ra (tion@l.1), July 12, 2000.

BLAME IT ON THE SWEDES AND THE DUTCH

from Merriam Webster online dictionary--

Main Entry: fuck Pronunciation: 'f&k Function: verb Etymology: akin to Dutch fokken to breed (cattle), Swedish dialect fokka to copulate Date: 1503 intransitive senses 1 usually obscene : COPULATE -- sometimes used in the present participle as a meaningless intensive 2 usually vulgar : MESS 3 -- used with with transitive senses 1 usually obscene : to engage in coitus with -- sometimes used interjectionally with an object (as a personal or reflexive pronoun) to express anger, contempt, or disgust 2 usually vulgar : to deal with unfairly or harshly : CHEAT, SCREW

I am old enough to recall when the taboo on this word was so strong that it was never used in mixed company or in public places or in middle class families. Now it is so common that it has lost much of its power.

The first time I ever heard it used on screen was in 1966 in a documentary that chronicled a concert tour of England by Bob Dylan and Jan Baez. At the time I thought "cool", we are making a breakthru here from uptightness. Within a few years its movie usage became deriguer.

I also think that African-American language usage has had an enormous impact on the general culture's acceptance of this word.

IMO, the ubiquitous usage of "fuck" has contributed to the general coarsening and de-senstitization of modern life. Personally, I would prefer that "fuck" would return to the closet and only be used in situations of intimate hot sex, great anger or great insult. Of course, this will not happen and it may be necessary to invent a new word that has the same power to shock that "fuck" once did.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), July 13, 2000.

RA: YOU ARE A DAY MAKER!!!!

AND SO BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am at my desk LMAO!!!!!

thnks, sumer

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), July 14, 2000.

Gee thanks Ra.

I fucking wet myself!!

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), July 14, 2000.

Regarding the origin of the word 'FUCK' someone sent me this today: (I don't know how true it is . . . ) ********************* In ancient England a person could not have sex unless you had consent of the King (unless you were in the Royal Family). When anyone wanted to have a baby, they got consent of the King, and the King gave them a placard that they hung on their door while they were having sex. The placard had "FUCK" on it (Fornication Under Consent of the King) on it. Now you know where that came from. ********************** From what my colleagues and I can determine is that this could not have meant married couples. Why would married couples need to ask the King for permission . . . so we feel it was a special 'dispensation' given to the knights who had worked so hard ont he King's behalf ;)

-- John (jjuhasz@fiberoptions.com), January 16, 2001.

I thought you would find this interesting, I got in in an e-mail so it could be B S , but, who knows?: Certain types of manure used to be transported (as everything was years ago) by ship. In dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a byproduct is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM! Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was discovered what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "S.H.I.T" on them which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit." In other words, high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargoand start the production of methane.

-- (cbriggs@ee.net), September 11, 2002.

I believe the term FUCK came from the British Army/Religion. I think it stood for "Found Under Carnal Knowledge" e.g for soldiers caught having sex with fellow soldiers or women. Or for priests caught having sex, apparently they had to wear a sign which spelt out F.U.C.K.. I've heard both of these stories numerous times but i'm not sure which came first and is therefore the origin. Maybe i'm wrong??

-- daryl (DARL@adnet.com), February 17, 2003.