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From: bobm@rtech.UUCP (Bob Mcqueer)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: The Great American? Bird (obscene gestures)
Message-ID: <793@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Dec-85 13:47:30 EST
Article-I.D.: rtech.793
Posted: Sun Dec 15 13:47:30 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Dec-85 04:00:54 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
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Well, I guess "sign language" counts as natural language, so we can discuss
its etymology here, also.

I saw an item in the newspaper a while ago, in which the author stated in
passing that the upraised middle finger as a rude gesture went back to the
Roman Empire.  I found this surprising.  I would have guessed that the
gesture was of distinctly American origin, and probably fairly recent (no
more than a century or so old, if that).  Can anyone verify this one?
Somehow, I find it comical to contemplate the vulgar masses of ancient
Rome flipping the bird at Nero when he wasn't looking.

Bob McQueer
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