The Origins of the F-Bomb
* Note: Historians and linguists have different views regarding the origins of "the mother of all cuss words." This is but one of many theories.
The Battle of Agincourt, 1415
![Picture](/uploads/5/8/8/3/5883420/803713.jpg?221)
By 1415, France and England had been engaged in the Hundred Years' War for 78 years. On October 25, 1415, the enemies would meet at Agincourt to fight a battle that would prove to have long-lasting consequences -- not only for the war, but for all profanity-slingers in the years to come.
As the two armies approached one another on that fateful Friday morning, soldiers were filled with the excitement, adrenaline, and fear that accompany battle. Marching steadfastly forward, the forces halted when only several hundred feet remained between them so that they might reform the lines. Staring down their enemy and waiting for combat to commence, the French began to taunt the English across the plain. English soldiers, the French knew, prided themselves on their skills with the recently-developed longbow. The longbow was generally 6 feet in height, and its string, made of strong, taut yew, could project arrows great distances and with impeccable accuracy. The English longbowmen were said to "pluck" the yew, pinching their index and middle fingers to their thumb, retracting the string, and then releasing. In an effort to instill fear in their opponents, the French soldiers vowed to cut off every Englishman's middle finger so that he could never again pluck the yew.
At the end of the battle, though, it was the English who were victorious, having bested the French despite being heavily outnumbered. As was the common practice after a battle, Englishmen set about rounding up and taking prisoner the surviving French. When all Frenchmen had been gathered, the English reminded them of their vow before the battle.
"Look," the English would say, holding up their middle finger to the French captives. "I still have my finger. I can still pluck yew. PLUCK YEW."
Over time, the "pl" would come to be replaced with the "f" that we know (but never use, of course) today. Flashing the middle finger, similarly, is referred to as "giving the bird" because the feathers on the arrows launched by the yew were plucked from pheasants.
As the two armies approached one another on that fateful Friday morning, soldiers were filled with the excitement, adrenaline, and fear that accompany battle. Marching steadfastly forward, the forces halted when only several hundred feet remained between them so that they might reform the lines. Staring down their enemy and waiting for combat to commence, the French began to taunt the English across the plain. English soldiers, the French knew, prided themselves on their skills with the recently-developed longbow. The longbow was generally 6 feet in height, and its string, made of strong, taut yew, could project arrows great distances and with impeccable accuracy. The English longbowmen were said to "pluck" the yew, pinching their index and middle fingers to their thumb, retracting the string, and then releasing. In an effort to instill fear in their opponents, the French soldiers vowed to cut off every Englishman's middle finger so that he could never again pluck the yew.
At the end of the battle, though, it was the English who were victorious, having bested the French despite being heavily outnumbered. As was the common practice after a battle, Englishmen set about rounding up and taking prisoner the surviving French. When all Frenchmen had been gathered, the English reminded them of their vow before the battle.
"Look," the English would say, holding up their middle finger to the French captives. "I still have my finger. I can still pluck yew. PLUCK YEW."
Over time, the "pl" would come to be replaced with the "f" that we know (but never use, of course) today. Flashing the middle finger, similarly, is referred to as "giving the bird" because the feathers on the arrows launched by the yew were plucked from pheasants.