The Origin of the "F" Word

[Nebuchadnezzar]

I've heard many different stories on the origin of the "F" word, like it being derived from a German word meaning to move back and forth. Although, the more plausible origin in my mind comes from the story of English Longbowmen since the first use of the word and the Longbow were introduced at around the same time.

The English Longbow was introduced in the late 1300's and was a deadly weapon of war. Opposing armies feared the Longbow and it's deadly reach including the amount of arrows the English could unleash against their enemies.

At around the 1450's was the first use of the "F" word in literature and from the beginning of the Longbow until that time is the right amount of time for the evolution of the word "Pluck" and the use of showing the middle finger.

When opposing armies would capture a Longbowman, they would cut off the middle finger/s of the Longbowman. Also, Longbowmen before battle would raise their hands to the opposing army and show their middle fingers as a sign of defiance while shouting "Pluck You".

Over the course of a few decades, that word "Pluck" turned into the "F" word.

Just a story I think is plausible although I'm sure our German and Austrian friends here will say it comes from the German word but I do believe the German didn't become a thing until the mid 1600's, so no, it's not the German, lol.

[Millhouse]

I would've thought it came from a guy across from those longbowman seeing a bunch of arrows coming his way. 'Ah **** me'. And it stuck ever since.

[*michaelsean*]

I always heard that's where the middle finger came from, but I never attempted to verify it.

[BengalHawk62]

Shit was originated by maritime travel I've heard.  It stands for Store High In Transit.  Ships would leak a little water in the bottom so the sailors that didn't want their goods ruined by the water would store some of their cargo higher up. 


Or so I've been told.  It could all be a made up story too for all I know. 

[XenoMorph]

(05-29-2017, 10:54 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I would've thought it came from a guy across from those longbowman seeing a bunch of arrows coming his way. 'Ah **** me'. And it stuck ever since.

Well something stuck....  The Arrows.

[BenZoo2]

(05-30-2017, 12:20 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Shit was originated by maritime travel I've heard.  It stands for Store High In Transit.  Ships would leak a little water in the bottom so the sailors that didn't want their goods ruined by the water would store some of their cargo higher up. 


Or so I've been told.  It could all be a made up story too for all I know. 

Sounds like a bunch of shit to me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nebuchadnezzar]

(05-30-2017, 12:20 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Shit was originated by maritime travel I've heard.  It stands for Store High In Transit.  Ships would leak a little water in the bottom so the sailors that didn't want their goods ruined by the water would store some of their cargo higher up. 


Or so I've been told.  It could all be a made up story too for all I know. 

That sounds plausible to me, it could explain the phrase "Get your s***"

[jfkbengals]

I always liked the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge story...






... even though it's a bunch of balony

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Can't
Understand
Normal
Thinking

I wonder if that's where that word came from

A really nasty word that I never use...ever...against anyone or anything.

[BengalHawk62]

(06-07-2017, 10:52 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Can't
Understand
Normal
Thinking

I wonder if that's where that word came from

A really nasty word that I never use...ever...against anyone or anything.

Well...........sometimes when a slow driver cuts in front of you on the interstate and proceeds to drive at or below the speed limit in the left lane, I do believe that could be a time and place to use this word.....and wishing nothing but ill will against their progeny. Also sitting at a busy intersection in town, waiting for the green light.  Only, when it turns green, the person in front of you is on their cell phone and not paying any attention to traffic moving again.  That situation, right there.....could be another time and place for "that" word to come out. 

[BmorePat87]

Acronym origins are popular, but most of these words are derived from old English, Germanic, Latin, etc words that do not follow the acronym but are phonetically similar.

Shit is Shite in England and pronounced very differently. There's an old English word "Scite" which turned into "schitte" and then presumably into shite.

There are various other Germanic languages with words close to f--- that date to bfore the 1400's.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(06-08-2017, 12:53 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: Well...........sometimes when a slow driver cuts in front of you on the interstate and proceeds to drive at or below the speed limit in the left lane, I do believe that could be a time and place to use this word.....and wishing nothing but ill will against their progeny. Also sitting at a busy intersection in town, waiting for the green light.  Only, when it turns green, the person in front of you is on their cell phone and not paying any attention to traffic moving again.  That situation, right there.....could be another time and place for "that" word to come out. 

Oh, I use that word with reckless abandon in those situations, especially when my favorite happens.  That's when they drag race you to cut over in front of you, and then proceed to slow down to 10 mph or more slower than you were going in the first place.