Recently, I discovered that it is both more amusing, and far more frustrating to one's enemies to shout: "I'm number one!" when giving them the upraised middle finger. This results in a display that makes a certain degree of sense, is offensive, and ultimately is quite absurd. Generally, the victim responds with a moment of confusion, then either laughs or attacks the speaker.
-- Madcat, Mar 26 2003

(?) Paper Scissors Rock http://www.jbrowse.com/text/janken.shtml
God is the thumb. I like Chinese. [thumbwax, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

(?) Straight Dope http://www.straight...assics/a980904.html
discount the pluck yew story. Must get: Desmond Morris's Gestures: Their origins and distribution [thumbwax, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

(??) Bore da?? http://www.urdd.org...rllenwyrBoreDa.html
Good morning to you too, po [Worldgineer, Oct 06 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

So you're the idiot that ran the stop sign at high speed, then gave me the #1 sign as I was in the crosswalk...
-- thumbwax, Mar 26 2003


Just don't do the two fingered salute and yell "I'm number two!" ...
-- Freelancer, Mar 26 2003


Isn't this just another way to send conflicting signals to amuse yourself? This was covered in the use random and illogical metaphors thing as well as the call everyone by an odd nickname thing.

As such, I will give you a fish pastry.
-- ato_de, Mar 26 2003


This is an idea?
-- DrCurry, Mar 26 2003


More like a suggestion.
-- snarfyguy, Mar 26 2003


Why is it called the #1 BIRD... why bring birds in to it??
-- futurebird, Mar 26 2003


American slang: flipping someone the bird = giving someone the finger. Nothing to with you, birdy
-- snarfyguy, Mar 26 2003


digitus infamis or digitus impudicus (infamous or indecent finger). I wonder if the more ancient Cantonese version of Paper Rocks Scissors has something to do with this *bird*. In it, chicken is index, gun is middle finger. Bear with my mind's eye for a moment:
<mind's eye>A century or more ago, taking a break between constructing railroads and laundry, a ponytailed Cantonese man is play/demonstrat/ing this game in some outpost of US. A westerner thinks the index should be a gun, and the middle finger a chicken - certainly, either's shadow depicts the same. Taking it a step further, at some point - the middle finger comes up, as it has since time immemorial, in blazing glory of digitus infamis, and another westerner in on the game earlier says "He's just given you the bird." Catches on, spreads like wildfire... origin lost.</mind's eye>
See link for several variations of Paper Rock Scissors game. Cantonese variation is at bottom.
-- thumbwax, Mar 26 2003


Some Internet sources suggest that the grand tradition of flipping The Bird was born in the 1415 Battle of Agincourt, when French soldiers taunted English by threatening to cut off their middle fingers so they couldn’t draw their bows. When the English won, they supposedly raised their middle fingers at the defeated French, shouting, “We can still pluck you [with our bows].” As the story goes, the expression “pluck you” transmogrified into … Well, you know. “It’s a great tale. I wish it were true,” says Patterson. “But the evidence suggests it’s just a good story.” To be sure, other countries have other dirty gestures. Don’t raise a single pinky in China. A crooked finger won’t get you far in Indonesia. And a thumbs up sign means something entirely different in Italy. But just as American film, consumer goods and the English language have pervaded the world, so has The Finger, the gesture known the world over, like an X-rated American Express card.
-- Shz, Mar 26 2003


Actually the *two* fingered salute comes from the Battle of Agincourt (where the English - really Welsh - longbow first came into true effect and slaughtered the French. The French would cut the two fingers off of an English bowman if caught, so the two fingers was more a "I can still take you down at 200m you great French pillock".

I don't know where the one fingered salute comes from.
-- Freelancer, Mar 27 2003


There's an X-rated American Express card? Is it one where you send in a picture or are there standard cards? Do you get embarrassed when paying for dinner?
-- Worldgineer, Mar 27 2003


Bore da
-- po, Mar 27 2003


pr'nawn da
-- yamahito, Mar 28 2003


In the absurdity vein, I used to play volleyball with a fellow who took things too seriously, and if he made a mistake, he would hit himself on the side of the head and say, “fuck me”. And he would say that repeatedly. So, it would be only a bit stranger if he were to give himself the bird, except that it's a bit awkward to get that oriented correctly. (I’m trying it right now.) Perhaps the bird given downward could refer to one’s self, while the regular bird could refer to others. I mean, there isn’t already a standard sign for self-contempt, is there?
-- ldischler, Oct 14 2003


If you yelled "We're number 1", the person watching might think you felt some sort of camaradarie.
-- bungston, Oct 14 2003


"Kindly use all of your digits when waving at me."
-- Dub, Aug 23 2005


(+) for spreading chaos and confusion. In the hands of a master, it spreads like warm butter on toast. I try to bake this whenever I can. Shaking your fist while doing this is exceptionaly entertaining.
-- Shadow Phoenix, Oct 22 2007



random, halfbakery