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submitted 7 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] digehode@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago

Ah, I see. We don't tend to put it to the mouth. It's more "fuck you". Apparently comes from demonstrating to the French that you still have your bow-drawing fingers and intend to use them. British archers captured by the french would have their first two fingers removed to prevent them launching arrows.

[-] smeg@feddit.uk 5 points 7 months ago

A commonly repeated legend claims that the two-fingered salute or V sign derives from a gesture made by longbowmen fighting in the English army at the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War, but no written historical primary sources support this contention.

Turns out we don't actually know the origin of flicking the V