As punishment to the longbowmen, the French, when they could capture defeated English archers, cut off there index and middle fingers, effectively ending their profession as archers. Holding up the fingers with the knuckles exposed to the person one is gesturing to is an incredible insult, akin to 'pluck yew' or 'wanker.' The origin of the insult (as explained to me) stems from the English longbowmens prowess and accuracy. With Americans there is not a particular difference in meaning, not so with the Brits. Savate Writes: I read with interest the article on the origins of 'pluck yew.' While doubtful of the origins of the saying, I do know that while traveling in Great Britain, I was cautioned on the difference between the 'peace' and 'victory' signs as made using the index and middle fingers. Its a widely known and accepted fact within re-enactment groups and historians alike (falling into both categories I know). Paul Atkinson of the UK writes: 'The battle of agincourt actually bought about the two fingered salute, as it required two fingers to draw. It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows that the symbolic gesture is known as 'giving the bird'. With the one-finger-salute are mistakenly thought to have something to do with an intimate encounter. 'pleasant mother pheasant plucker', which is who you had to go to for the feathers used on the arrows for the longbow), the difficultĬonsonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodental fricative 'F',and thus the words often used in conjunction Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say (like Over the years some 'folk etymologies' have grown up around this symbolic gesture. Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by waved their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, 'See, we can still pluck yew! 'PLUCK YEW!' This famous weapon was made of the native English Yew tree, and the act of drawing the longbow was known as 'plucking the yew' (or 'pluck yew'). Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore be incapable of fighting in the future.

Scroll down for his story.īefore the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. The most recent addition to this page is a comment from Dean Whitlock about shooting with a missing middle finger, and a friend who is completely missing a hand who was the New Hampshire archery champion two years in a row.

More information can be found at the following sites: This page has generated several responses from people, so I have since tried to ascertain the validity of the story.

I have not edited it in any way, and although dubious, I originally made no attempt to determine the authenticity of the tale. Longbowmen and 'The Finger' - (on 'TheBeckoning') Longbowmen and 'The Finger'Īdded 27 December 1999, Revised 3 February 2008ĭISCLAIMER: I have transcribed this little etymological tale exactly how it was given to me.

French cut fingers of english archers