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 made by showing someone the back of the hand, with three fingers extended, and telling the recipient to "read between the lines."

The gesture is also known as "the bird", the "highway salute", and "flipping/flicking someone off". The gesture is mostly used as a non-verbal way of saying "Fuck you". In Britain the V sign serves a similar purpose (primarily "Fuck off"), whilst "the bird" is more often used for "up yours", "swivel on it" or "sit and swivel on it". When both hands are used, it is known as the double-barrel salute.

Origin

The origin of this gesture is highly speculative, but is quite possibly thousands of years old. It is identified as the digitus impudicus ("impudent finger") in Ancient Roman writings^[1] 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.^[2]

There is a popular story about English bowmen waving fingers at the French knights who did not manage to cut them off during the Hundred Years' War. However, this is a confusion with the origins of the V sign, which are themselves in question.^[3]

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 politics

• In 1968, captured crewmembers 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.^[4] 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, because of a famous photo of him giving the finger to protesters in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. 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.^[5]
• On July 9, 2003, Wong Yi Wang (Chinese: 黃宜弘), a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, was seen giving the finger to protestors as he left the Legislative Council building.^[6][7]
• 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 Cancun ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization.^[8]
• 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."^[9]
• On February 2nd, 2007, Mirek Topolánek, prime minister of the Czech republic, gave the finger to left-wing deputies in the Czech parliament ^[10] 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.

In popular culture

• The United States FCC has banned display of this gesture on broadcast television as an obscenity. As a result, the gesture is often censored, and airbrushed out or replaced with large-pixel blocks. An example of this is in the Weird Al video "Amish Paradise" in time with the lyrics "an Amish with a 'tude, you know that's unheard of". This gesture occurs frequently on television shows like The Jerry Springer Show or on music videos shown on MTV and VH1. Rick Baker in a gorilla suit has been shown giving the finger uncensored in television broadcasts of The Incredible Shrinking Woman.
• Comedian Jackie Mason was accused of giving Ed Sullivan the finger during a live 1964 telecast of Sullivan's variety show, a charge Mason vehemently denied.
• Comedian Dane Cook has a routine called the Super Finger.
• In the game Fable, the player character, if his alignment is evil enough, could use the gesture, called the "Middlefingers" in the game.
• In the popular sitcom Friends, one of the lead characters, Ross Geller, invented a way to give the finger without actually giving it, by pounding his fists together at the insulted person.
• In the 2003 movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Paul Walker and Tyrese give each other the finger while driving. Tyrese pulls up next to Walker, puts up the finger and twirls it around twice. Paul Walker speeds ahead of Tyrese, spins around on the highway to drive in reverse, and holds up his middle finger to Tyrese.
• In Baldo comic strip from October 26th, 2004, the main character rides in his father's car and flips off driver behind them who was trailgating them, claiming "that's the international sign for 'back off'". However, his finger gesture wasn't seen (it was sheltered by text balloon).
• During a 1972 Monday Night Football game in Houston's Astrodome, a fan gave ABC cameras the finger when he was spotted alone in his seat. The fan's ill will was no doubt exacerbated by the fact the Houston Oilers suffered a 38-0 defeat to the Oakland Raiders that night.
• Former professional wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin would often use the finger.

References

See also

SUperFInger, a more offensive version of the finger invented by comedian Dane Cook.
Middlefingers, Spanish Punk Rock band.

External links

• Excerpts from the book, The Finger: A Comprehensive Guide to Flipping Off
• Perception
• Truth about the Finger