The History of the Middle Finger-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
A story that allegedly gives the background of how we came to use the middle finger as a vulgar insult along with the alleged origin of the “F-word” (we’re a family friendly site!)
The Truth:
Not much needs to be said about this fanciful tale except that it’s nonsense. This is not the authoritative history of giving the “finger” or of the origin of the F-word. It’s a piece of humorous writing that has been circulated for years, apparently by some who believe that it is true.
It’s tough to narrow down where the F-word actually came from. Some sources say it dates back to the Middle English word “fucken,” which, among other things, meant to penetrate. Others say it comes from a German word, “ficken,” that means the same thing. There are also discussions about a Dutch word and even speculation about whether Shakespeare used a word that might have had something to do with it. Along with this eRumor there are also other creative suggestions that have no basis in history such as the F-word being an acronym for “Fornication Under Consent of the King” or “For the Use of Carnal Knowledge.”