Through the power of blog I propose that you share this burden.
The ‘V’ sign for instance. This is formed with the first two fingers offered in the shape of the letter V to indicate one’s contempt for an adversary. It is the English equivalent of the Roman middle finger now widely used in the U.S.A. The single digit gesture is, in my opinion, disgustingly obscene and therefore more effective. The two fingered V, I’d interpret as meaning, “Fuck off.” The single finger, “Get fucked.” A subtle but important difference, I feel.
The popularly held belief as to the origin of the V sign is that it dates back to the 100 years war. English archers were very efficient at dispatching their enemy.The French would cut off the middle and index fingers of any English bowman captured so they could never shoot again. The English would taunt the French by showing their fingers, as if to say, "I can still shoot you Frog!" Complete and utter bollocks!
I’d taken that piece of information on board as fact, and for years related the story to anyone who’d listen. Now I know it be untrue and wish to make amends for my previous contravention of truth. The ‘archer’ story dates no earlier than the 1970s. The symbol itself not recorded before the beginning of the 20th century.