★ THE MIDDLE FINGER

Swear words and slang are part of our language. Swear words are considered impolite and slang is considered informal, yes. But since they ARE part of our language(s), they deserve some attention as well. And don't blame me. Blame the ancient Emperors, blame Shakespeare, blame the society's stupid governmental organizations which make people swear, blame life. All I'm doing here is "academic analysis", I am not propagating bad behavior. Ok, now that we've made this clear we can get down to business.

Not only a few swear words have a "swear touch". So do signs. I am not talking about sign language, but certain signs we create with our hands, which carry specific meaning. I am talking about flipping the FAMOUS middle finger, or the bird, if you will.

Flipping the middle finger goes WAY WAY back into our past, surprisingly enough. I found a story that allegedly gives the background to how we started using the middle finger as an insult along with the F-word. Of course, there are many stories about it, but I choose to believe this one. As it turns out, digitus impudicus ("impudent finger") is found already in the Ancient Roman writings and there is a reference of the middle finger in an ancient Greek comedy to use the middle finger to insult another person. Aristophanes, the Greek playwritght, made a joke about mixing up the middle finger and the penis. So, the Greek and the Romans did not only import art and culture and a few words to England, and consequently America and the rest of the world, but flipping the bird as well;).

As for the origins, I believe it comes from "up your ars". In procreation, this is the wrong "way", and it is the wrong "tool". :) That is why the finger is turned upwards, not downwards. And as for the middle finger, it is the longest and most likely to appear as a penis. And hence the insult. It's going the wrong way, and it probably hurts as well. :) I am not sure, but these seem like liable explanations.

According to a historian, a Roman Emperor Caligula, a pioneer of perversity (now we know where the present Italian president gets it from;)) forced his people to kiss his middle finger.

During the Middle Ages, the finger went underground because the Holy Church went balistic upon its use. But, in the 19th century, it became popular again, this time because of photography.

In 1886, a famous baseball player flipped his finger in a photo and since then, everyone started using it again.


Today, everyone knows and uses it. Even dogs seem to know what it means. But of course, I am not making propaganda of using the finger here. The society says it's a taboo and a sign of vulgarity. So, you know what they say: don't try this at home:) or anywhere in the public for that matter.

However, as we all know, it has been used in the public. Numerous times and even by presidents. If you don't believe me, check it out here. But I don't think it's too hard to believe that this very president flipped a finger, is it?

To end the "middle finger analysis", here's an interesting fact about Galileo.

Astronomer Galileo's meticulously preserved middle finger can be seen today in Italy's Museo di Storia del Scienza. The famous astronomer's appendage was plucked from his dead body by a souvenir-seeking Anton Francesco Gori in 1737. Gori detached this prize while moving the body from an undignified storage closet to a nearby chapel. Isn't it fitting that Galileo is still giving 'the finger' to all those who doubted his proofs of Copernicus' theory that the sun was the center of the galaxy? (link)