> > > It's a nice story, but it has absolutely no basis in fact. > > (For a start, the English brandish two fingers, not just one.) > > The business about cutting off bow fingers as the origin of the > English flicking a V seems to be quite well attested. I have seen > it mentioned by professional historians.
As students of urban folklore can attest, professional historians are one of the worst sources of fable masquerading as truth. Try looking up "Pluck Yew" at any of the regular sites (snopes.com, about.com, etc. - just about anywhere execept urbanlegends.com, which has recently been purchased by some less reliable source). Or try asking about this story on alt.fan.cecil.adams. I wouldn't suggest asking on alt.folklore.urban until you have lurked awhile. Professional historians also spread many other misconceptions; to name just two: "ring-around-the-rosie" being connected to the black death, or the glass in old cathedral windows having flowed.
