FARK.com: (6926917) Flipping the middle finger dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans and is part of US Italian heritage

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		Flipping the middle finger dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans and is part of US Italian heritage (bbc.co.uk)		48
		More: Interesting, Brian McCarthy, Italian immigrants, professor emeritus, ancient Greeks, Italians

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5799 clicks; posted to Main » on 07 Feb 2012 at 11:31 AM | Favorite | share:

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48 Comments (+0 »)

View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest

vudukungfu

2012-02-07 08:15:51 AM

Do Wop Diddy.

DirtyDeadGhostofEbenezerCooke

2012-02-07 09:23:21 AM

So is taking a shiat. That doesn't mean you have to do it on national tv just to cover up your lack of talent and to AW.

ManateeGag

2012-02-07 09:52:14 AM

vudukungfu: Wop

Racist!

Mugato

2012-02-07 09:55:21 AM

ManateeGag: vudukungfu: Wop

Racist!

Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

vudukungfu

2012-02-07 10:32:16 AM

Mugato:
Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

guinea a break.

Lionel Mandrake

2012-02-07 10:48:22 AM

vudukungfu: Mugato:
Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

guinea a break.

Guido something something

gopher321

2012-02-07 11:13:30 AM

Whatsamatta u?

Amos Quito

2012-02-07 11:23:19 AM

gopher321: Whatsamatta u?

msa4.files.wordpress.com

Alumnist

Giltric

2012-02-07 11:33:02 AM

vudukungfu: Mugato:
Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

guinea a break.

Most Italians I know take Guinea as a compliment.....they were paid a Guinea more a day then other laborers due to their skills.

nicoffeine

2012-02-07 11:36:11 AM

"US Italian?"

Wouldn't it be any Italian (or Greek)?

GentlemanJ

2012-02-07 11:39:11 AM

Amos Quito: gopher321: Whatsamatta u?

[msa4.files.wordpress.com image 292x375]

Alumnist

That's "Alumnus." But did he ever graduate? Come to think of it, did he ever attend?

Leeds

2012-02-07 11:44:29 AM

More importantly, flipping people off **even cops** has been ruled to be free speech.

:-)

USA! USA! USA!!!

Mugato

2012-02-07 11:45:39 AM

I always thought it was pretty funny whenever they blur out "the finger" whenever it's in a movie that's run on broadcast tv or something. It seems more juvenile than the finger itself.

Dirtybird971

2012-02-07 11:58:30 AM

Robert Wuhl is a liar!!

EleventyOne

2012-02-07 11:58:35 AM

whitey? (new window)
I thought it was the English bowmen that started the whole flipping the bird thing, showing that they still had the finger necessary to use a long bow.

/katapugon

Amos Quito

2012-02-07 12:10:33 PM

GentlemanJ: Amos Quito: gopher321: Whatsamatta u?

[msa4.files.wordpress.com image 292x375]

Alumnist

That's "Alumnus." But did he ever graduate? Come to think of it, did he ever attend?

www.russellheimlich.com

Liberal Arts degree.

/And don't go all spelling-nazi on Bullwinkle
//That's Fearless Leader's job

Crewmannumber6

2012-02-07 12:11:12 PM

Link (Shaddup a You Face)

Stabone33

2012-02-07 12:23:23 PM

FTA:

"The middle finger, which Mr Morris says probably arrived in the US with Italian immigrants, is documented in the US as early as 1886,..."

So, Americans didn't have middle fingers before 1886?

liam76

2012-02-07 12:31:10 PM

Giltric: vudukungfu: Mugato:
Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

guinea a break.

Most Italians I know take Guinea as a compliment.....they were paid a Guinea more a day then other laborers due to their skills.

Only a Guinea would swallow that story.

Kevin72

2012-02-07 12:31:53 PM

`Digitus Impudicus That's the Latin word for "impudent digit" ie giving the middle finger. Substitute teacher here. From now on, I will say "digitus impudicus" to annoying students who it would be sweet to give the finger to, but now sweeter to not stoop to the overused finger, and pretend I am doing a Harry Potter on them.

Stile4aly

2012-02-07 12:37:53 PM

Justice Scalia thinks occasional obscene gestures should be barred from public spaces, and for anyone who disagrees?

media.reason.com

ChubbyTiger

2012-02-07 12:41:05 PM

Stile4aly: Justice Scalia thinks occasional obscene gestures should be barred from public spaces, and for anyone who disagrees?

[media.reason.com image 200x271]

I actually find myself using that more frequently. It sort of flows better, especially if you're gesturing while speaking anyway.

stonelotus

2012-02-07 12:41:49 PM

interluder

2012-02-07 12:48:53 PM

These two would like to disagree, ain't no Guineas here

www.negotiationisover.net

ChubbyTiger

2012-02-07 12:58:13 PM

stonelotus: [i1207.photobucket.com image 640x378]

I pretty much agree with your assessment.

vudukungfu

2012-02-07 01:01:13 PM

11/06/2010 from the Main Page.
For an authoritative legal and historical discussion of flipping the bird, read "Digitus Impudicus: the Middle Finger and the Law" (pdf) (new window)

vudukungfu

2012-02-07 01:04:48 PM

And I was Subby on that one, too.

Headso

2012-02-07 01:11:27 PM

ChubbyTiger: stonelotus: [i1207.photobucket.com image 640x378]

I pretty much agree with your assessment.

same here pretty much, although I'd say dee-he-he-heee-cent

lake_huron

2012-02-07 01:18:27 PM

Pluck yew?

/DNRTFA

litespeed74

2012-02-07 01:39:47 PM

Need a career boost?
Flip the bird on TV
Instant stardom whether you suck or not

I didn't even know who the hell this chick was. I'm still a bit confused over what band she's in etc...

urban.derelict

2012-02-07 02:00:39 PM

Also, why do they call it 'french kissing' when Italians do it better?

/eip

Giltric

2012-02-07 02:08:46 PM

liam76: Giltric: vudukungfu: Mugato:
Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

guinea a break.

Most Italians I know take Guinea as a compliment.....they were paid a Guinea more a day then other laborers due to their skills.

Only a Guinea would swallow that story.

At leats its a better story to claim then my Moorish American friends have.

Leeds

2012-02-07 02:19:57 PM

Giltric: liam76: Giltric: vudukungfu: Mugato:
Some people never let a daygo by without getting offended at something.

guinea a break.

Most Italians I know take Guinea as a compliment.....they were paid a Guinea more a day then other laborers due to their skills.

Only a Guinea would swallow that story.

At leats its a better story to claim then my Moorish American friends have.

Sicilians?

vudukungfu

2012-02-07 02:24:49 PM

Leeds:
Sicilians?

Greasers?

Thats an 827

2012-02-07 03:00:45 PM

Let us not forget Father Guido Sarducci and his Five Minute University.

CoonAce

2012-02-07 03:14:26 PM

EleventyOne: whitey? (new window)
I thought it was the English bowmen that started the whole flipping the bird thing, showing that they still had the finger necessary to use a long bow.

/katapugon

I thought so too.

Lone Stranger

2012-02-07 03:28:09 PM

I call my middle finger the "diddle finger".

Poison

2012-02-07 04:44:42 PM

litespeed74: Need a career boost?
Flip the bird on TV
Instant stardom whether you suck or not

I didn't even know who the hell this chick was. I'm still a bit confused over what band she's in etc...

I didn't even know she was a chick. Is she a singer/rapper/dancer or just an AW that Merdonna picked up along the way. And does "M.I.A." stand for something other than the usual?

litespeed74

2012-02-07 04:51:20 PM

Poison: litespeed74: Need a career boost?
Flip the bird on TV
Instant stardom whether you suck or not

I didn't even know who the hell this chick was. I'm still a bit confused over what band she's in etc...

I didn't even know she was a chick. Is she a singer/rapper/dancer or just an AW that Merdonna picked up along the way. And does "M.I.A." stand for something other than the usual?

Ha! I actually thought her name was MIA. Maybe it stands for Mia? Ahhh screw it I just ran out of "give a shiat"

Poison

2012-02-07 04:56:08 PM

litespeed74: Poison: litespeed74: Need a career boost?
Flip the bird on TV
Instant stardom whether you suck or not

I didn't even know who the hell this chick was. I'm still a bit confused over what band she's in etc...

I didn't even know she was a chick. Is she a singer/rapper/dancer or just an AW that Merdonna picked up along the way. And does "M.I.A." stand for something other than the usual?

Ha! I actually thought her name was MIA. Maybe it stands for Mia? Ahhh screw it I just ran out of "give a shiat"

I never thought about that-maybe it is Mia-ahh, I'm with you-I don't give a rat's ass about it.

urban.derelict

2012-02-07 05:02:19 PM

stonelotus: i1207.photobucket.com

you win. Thank you so much.

/pick up your free internets from Drew

Mouser

2012-02-07 05:35:39 PM

Kevin72: `Digitus Impudicus That's the Latin word for "impudent digit" ie giving the middle finger. Substitute teacher here. From now on, I will say "digitus impudicus" to annoying students who it would be sweet to give the finger to, but now sweeter to not stoop to the overused finger, and pretend I am doing a Harry Potter on them.

So what does the "digitus impudicus" spell do? Give your victim a magical UFIA?

jamspoon

2012-02-07 05:42:54 PM

Poison: And does "M.I.A." stand for something other than the usual?

She's been around for a decade - go look in You Tube for "Paper Planes" which sold well Worldwide.

plumbicon

2012-02-07 06:16:40 PM

Stile4aly: Justice Scalia thinks occasional obscene gestures should be barred from public spaces, and for anyone who disagrees?

I saw the video clip of this. Not only did he show the back of his hand, he said out loud, and I quote, "Va' fa' 'n culo!" Now THAT is an obscenity and refers to a generally physically impossible feat of self-copulation. I worked with an Italian-American ("From da Old Country!") and he said that was one of the worst insults.

Maul555

2012-02-07 07:23:59 PM

shiat like this should become a yearly ritual. Hopefully someone does something obscene in every Superbowl halftime show until the end of time!

arquerobueno

2012-02-07 07:50:10 PM

CoonAce: EleventyOne: whitey? (new window)
I thought it was the English bowmen that started the whole flipping the bird thing, showing that they still had the finger necessary to use a long bow.

/katapugon

I thought so too.

That has been debunked, the whole " I can still pluck yew" being morphed into " F you" is far fetched, too.
I don't know if the article is right either.

communion_wafer

2012-02-08 07:12:06 AM

litespeed74
2012-02-07 01:39:47 PM

Need a career boost?
Flip the bird on TV
Instant stardom whether you suck or not

I didn't even know who the hell this chick was. I'm still a bit confused over what band she's in etc...

Best line.

Pert

2012-02-08 08:27:41 AM

EleventyOne: I thought it was the English bowmen that started the whole flipping the bird thing, showing that they still had the finger necessary to use a long bow.

No, that only relates to the V sign:

images.wikia.com

/not saying it's correct necessarily, but the bowmen myth relates to the V sign. The "finger" has never been popular in the UK. I wasn't really aware of it at all until the age of 12 or 13 I reckon, whereas I knew that "the V's" was rude

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