V sign

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This article is about offensive/victory/peace gesture. For the formal salute, see Two-fingers salute

The V sign is a hand gesture in which the first and second fingers are raised and parted, whilst the remaining fingers are clenched. Originally considered a "Victory" sign (for V as in victory), it can also carry connotations of "Peace" and "Defiance."

In some areas the gesture is considered vulgar. In the UK, if the hand is held out with the palm towards the person performing the gesture (a peace sign reversed), this is considered to be insulting, similar in severity to the insulting gesture commonly known as "the finger".

In United States culture, it is now probably most frequently seen as a gesture of peace, a connotation that became popular during the peace movement of the 1960s. The gesture is also used in a manner similar to the corna, by surreptitiously holding it behind a person's head. This use of the gesture, often called "bunny ears", is usually regarded as a meaningless prank without the corna's implied cuckoldry.

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[edit] Current usage

The gesture has a many different meanings depending on the culture to which the people using it belong, and what they are trying to signify.

  • The letter V in American Sign Language.
  • "Insulting" – Straight or very slightly curled fingers, palm in, often with an upward thrust.
  • Signal Two, as in 2 drinks – Straight fingers, palm in (but not in the UK if specifying a number). In some countries, the number two is more commonly signalled by holding up the thumb and index finger.
  • "Victory" – Straight fingers, palm either way (but only with palm out in the UK).
  • "Peace" – Straight fingers, palm either way (but only with palm out in the UK). It is often used by anti-war protesters.
  • "Air quotes" – Curled index and middle fingers, palm away from the signer, invariably used in pairs.
  • "Bunny ears" – Curled index and middle fingers, palm away from the signer, usually used singularly. When used jocularly (behind someone's head in a photograph, for example), they can be straight as well as curled. In Italy, Spain and Portugal, raising the two fingers behind someone's head can sign "donkey ears" (a metaphor for stupidity) or the very offensive corna (the horns of a cuckold), suggesting the victim's partner has been unfaithful.
  • "Eye to Eye"; Sometimes the gesture is used in conjunction with pointing each finger at the signer's eyes, then to the eyes of a friend or partner. This is meant to imply the two are in agreement or otherwise understanding one another. Alternately, it can be used as an intimidating gesture (sometimes with the signer pointing each finger at the signer's eyes, then pointing their index finger at the other person), indicating that the signer is communicating: "I'm watching you." It can also be used with a mixture of both senses or the gesture. When used in the "eye to eye" context, eye contact is often supposed to be maintained.
  • Military use – In military operations, where speech is limited to the minimum, a gesture similar to "Eye to Eye" is used to draw attention to a certain location. The signer points at his own eyes and then points to a location using his index finger alone, as in regular pointing. This tells the partner to scan or pay special attention to the specified location.
  • Cunnilingus – Can be used to insult someone by holding the fingers in front of your lips, as if performing the said act. Emphasis can be added by the signer sticking out and waggling the tongue between the fingers.
  • "Cub Scout Salute" – Straight fingers, remaining fingers meeting to form a pyramid in front with the thumb stretched. The sign resembles a wolf's head.
  • "Beaver Scout Salute" – Fingers curled, almost touching the base. The sign resembles beaver teeth.

[edit] The V sign as an insult

The insulting version of the gesture (with the palm inwards) performs a similar social function to "the finger". The "two fingered salute", or "bowfinger", as it is also known, is commonly performed by flicking the V upwards from wrist or elbow. "The finger" is traceable to Roman times [1], but may be unrelated in origin, as the insulting V sign is largely restricted to the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.

The V sign, when the palm is facing toward the person giving the sign, has long been an insulting gesture in England and later the United Kingdom. According to a myth that is especially popular in the UK, the vulgarity of the V sign comes from English longbowmen who, during the Hundred Years War, would have their index and middle fingers cut off by the French if captured in battle, due to the large numbers of French knights who were cut down by English arrows at battles such as Crécy and Agincourt. To show defiance before and during battle, they would display their two bow fingers to the French to show they were still able to shoot their bows.

As an example of the V sign (palm inward) as an insult, on November 1, 1990, The Sun, a popular British tabloid, ran an article on its front page with the headline "Up Yours, Delors" next to a large hand making a V sign protruding from a Union flag cuff. The Sun urged its readers to stick two fingers up at then-President of the European Commission Jacques Delors, who had suggested that more European integration might be a good thing. The article attracted a number of complaints about its alleged racism, but the now-defunct Press Council rejected the complaints after the editor of the Sun stated that the paper reserved the right to use vulgar abuse in the interests of Britain.[2][3]

For a time in the UK "a Harvey (Smith)" became a way of describing the insulting version of the V-sign, much as 'the word of Cambronne" is used in France, or "the Trudeau salute" is used to describe the one-fingered salute in Canada. This happened because in 1971, show-jumper Harvey Smith was disqualified for making a televised V-sign to the judges after winning the British Show Jumping Derby at Hickstead (Smith's win was reinstated two days later).

Gesturing in such a way is sometimes known as "Flipping the Vs" or "Flicking the Vs" in certain parts of the UK. This is most likely due to a popular method of delivery in which the gesture is made with the knuckles first facing towards the floor and then rapidly flipped up so that the outer knuckles are facing the target of the insult. In Scotland, this gesture is known commonly as the "Vicky".

Bowfinger is also the title of a Steve Martin comedy film that stars himself and Eddie Murphy. The film lampoons the people and institutions of the film industry. In this context, the title is generally interpreted as a friendly "screw you" to Hollywood and the movie industry.

In Australia, the gesture is known as "the forks", as in "he gave me the forks", being an obvious reference to the resemblance of a fork by the protruding fingers. "The forks" also alludes to the verbal insult "get forked" (the polite version of "get fucked") which the palm-in V-sign is also taken to mean.

The gesture can be made more offensive by combining it with the Italian elbow gesture.

[edit] Winston Churchill and the victory sign

Winston Churchill waving the V sign
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Winston Churchill waving the V sign

Winston Churchill used a V sign in both versions to symbolize "V for Victory" during World War II. Early on in the war he used palm in (sometimes with a cigar between the fingers)[4]. Later in the war he used palm out[5]. It is thought that the aristocratic Churchill made the change after it was explained to him what it signified to the other classes in Britain. He developed the idea from a BBC campaign.

During World War II, Victor de Lavelaye suggested that Belgians, who were chalking up the letters RAF, should add a V for vrijheid (Dutch for "freedom"). V also stands for victoire, the French for "victory". This idea was developed by the BBC and on July 20, 1941 a campaign was launched with a message from Churchill for occupied Europe.

During the German occupation of Jersey, a stonemason repairing the paving of the Royal Square incorporated a V for victory under the noses of the occupiers. This was later amended to refer to the Red Cross ship Vega. The addition of the date 1945 and a more recent frame has transformed it into a monument
Enlarge
During the German occupation of Jersey, a stonemason repairing the paving of the Royal Square incorporated a V for victory under the noses of the occupiers. This was later amended to refer to the Red Cross ship Vega. The addition of the date 1945 and a more recent frame has transformed it into a monument

Douglas Ritchie of the BBC European Service, suggested an audible V using the Morse code rhythm — three dots and a dash. This is the rhythm of the opening bars of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (fifth can of course also be written as Vth), and it was used as the call-sign by the BBC in its foreign language programmes to occupied Europe for the rest of the war. The irony that they were composed by a German was not lost on many of the audience or for the more musically educated that it was "Fate knocking on the door" of the Third Reich. (Listen to this call-sign. (help·info))

A rhythm similar to that of the Morse V rhythm is featured prominently in the bass line for the Clash song London Calling. The song's title was taken from the BBC World Service's station identification.

[edit] Vietnam War and the peace sign

Nixon departing the White House on August 9, 1974
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Nixon departing the White House on August 9, 1974

U.S. President Richard Nixon used the victory sign to signal victory, an act which became one of his best-known trademarks. He used it on his departure from public office following his resignation.

The victory sign was appropriated by the anti-war protesters as a peace gesture.

[edit] Japan and the V sign

During the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, figure skater Janet Lynn stumbled into Japanese pop culture when she fell during a free-skate period—but continued to smile even as she sat on the ice. Though she placed only 3rd in the actual competition, her cheerful diligence and indefatigability resonated with many Japanese viewers, making her an overnight celebrity in Japan. Afterwards, Lynn (a peace activist) was repeatedly seen flashing the V sign in the Japanese media. Though the V sign was known of in Japan prior to Lynn's use of it there (from the post-WWII Allied occupation of Japan), she is credited by some Japanese for having popularized its use in amateur photographs.

Through the 1970s and 1980s in Japan, the V sign was often accompanied by a vocalization: "piisu!" This gairaigo exclamation, which stood for "peace", has since fallen into disuse, though the V sign itself remains steadfastly popular. It is especially popular in photography, especially of the amateur sort, as it is a favorite pose of both teens and adults.

The V sign is also commonly used in anime and Japanese live-action shows. When characters show this sign, it is often accompanied by an exclamation of "Vui!" (pronounced "vwee!"), an exaggeration, or possible slurring (see Engrish) of the English pronunciation "vee". A more common phrase is "kachi" which means victory (V for Victory) or luck. Several anime characters incorprate the V-sign into their poses, including both Sailor Moon and Sailor V as well as video game characters such as Super Mario.

Perhaps due to Japanese cultural influence, the V sign in photographs has become popular with young Koreans, Hong Kongers, and Taiwanese as well. The sign is ubiquitous in Taiwan and is closely associated with the English word, "happy". Print and television advertisements read "happy" with hands waving while displaying the V sign, and the average Taiwanese person will invariably give that word as the meaning of the sign.

[edit] Former Yugoslavia

During the Yugoslav wars, the V sign was widely used by the Bosnians and Croats as a victory/defiance sign. This was brought about in something of a reaction to the Serbian three finger salute often raised by the Serbs.

[edit] Discordianism and the Occult

Discordians also consider the V sign a holy symbol due to their belief in the Law of Fives and the sign's similarity to the Roman numeral five. They claim that their use of the salute predates that of the peace movement, although because of Discordianism's apparent penchant for mischief, people usually consider their claims satirical. They also, more facetiously, claim that Churchill's use of the symbol was due to his involvement in the Bavarian Illuminati. Similar suppositions regarding Churchill, the mystical significance of the V-sign, and Aleister Crowley have also independently cropped up. See also peace sign antagonism.

[edit] Mythic origins

It has long been told that the famous "two-fingers salute" and/or "V sign" derives from the gestures of Welsh longbowmen, conscripted into the English army to fight at the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War. The myth claims that the French cut off two fingers on the right hand of captured archers and that the gesture was a sign of defiance by those who were not mutilated. This etymology has also given rise to an alternative name for the gesture, which can also be known as flicking an "Archers Salute" or just "Archers" as in "He just flicked me an Archers!".

This is, however, almost certainly untrue. The website Snopes has discussed this, along with a recent re-working of this myth which also related the phrase "fuck you" to the same origin, in an attempt to disprove it. [6] The fact that the first definitive known reference to the "V-sign" is in the works of Rabelais, the French satirist of the 1500s, disproves the myth even further. [7] This suggests, ironically, a French origin.

The same story has circulated in the US as a supposed explanation for the use of the middle finger as an obscenity, with the added flourish of saying the slang term for the sign, "flipping/giving the bird," has something to do with feathers on arrows. This is absolutely untrue, as the middle-finger sign dates at least to ancient Rome and definitely symbolizes a penis; "giving the bird" dates to 1800s British theatrical slang, meaning to be driven off stage by goose-like hisses, and was apparently connected to the middle-finger sign by US military pilots in the 1960s.[8]

The general idea of the V-sign originating among archers has one piece of possible evidence in the work of Jean Froissart (circa 1337-circa 1404). Froissart, a historian, was the author of "The Chronicle," a primary document that is essential to an understanding of Europe in the fourteenth century and to the twists and turns taken by the Hundred Years' War. The story of the English waving their fingers at the French is told in a first-person account by Froissart; however, the description is not of an incident at the Battle of Agincourt, but rather at the siege of a castle in another incident during the Hundred Years' War. It is unclear if this is a direct reference to the V-sign. Also, Froissart is known to have died before the Battle of Agincourt. Like many social memes it is difficult to ever know for sure where the V-sign originated, but this story has become a part of British myth.

[edit] Other

  • Eve Ensler's feminist V-Day movement uses this handshape.
  • In Unicode, the V sign "Victory Hand" symbol is U+270C (✌).
  • Rigo Tovar, famous Mexican cumbia singer used the V-sign throughout his life, so much that in Mexico anyone using this gesture is often referred to as "Rigo". A statue in his native Matamoros, Tamaulipas is shown giving the V-sign as a symbol of peace.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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