One linguistic argument for the origin of a certain word and gesture comes from British history. When King Henry landed in France to defend continental territories his small army consisted of mostly yoemen archers.The French nobility were incensed at their presence and announced those captured would have their fingers amputated. Henry positioned his small army on a muddy field, the French mounted knights charged en mass and met with a horrific rain of arrows. The archers supposedly then stepped forward, raising their "Flucking" ( old english for plucking) fingers in defiance. Another theory holds it comes from the old german "flucken" which translates " I strike you." <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />