Talk:V sign

Bowman Explanation
This particular section concludes by saying "The bowman etymology is unlikely, since no evidence exists of French forces (or any other continental European power) cutting off the fingers of captive bowmen; the standard procedure at the time was to summarily execute all enemy commoners captured on the battlefield (regardless of whether they were bowmen, foot soldiers or merely unarmed auxiliaries) since they had no ransom value, unlike the nobles whose lives could be worth thousands of florins apiece."

Whereas there is this source, from the contemporary chronicler Jean de Wavrin, that disagrees. [http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k50254g/f212.image A collection of the chronicles and ancient histories of Great Britain, now called England. 2. From A. D. 1399 to A. D. 1422] (Page 203)

In it it is said "…And further he told them and explained how the French were boasting that they would cut off three fingers of the right hand of all the archers that should be taken prisoners to the end that neither man nor horse should ever again be killed with their arrows. Such exhortations and many others, which cannot all be written, the King of England addressed to his men"

86.9.123.233 (talk) 22:16, 7 July 2015 (UTC)

Appearance in Mediaeval illustrations
I've just removed the following sentence from the article: "Medieval illustrations and tapestries, however, depict English archers giving the sign, as do tapestries hanging in Angers Castle, home of the Angevin (Plantagenet) dynasty." The reference to the Luttrell Psalter shows an archer with a hand outstretched to point to a target, but no particular evidence that he is raising two fingers. The Apocalypse Tapestries do not obviously show such a thing either. Even if they do, citing those directly smacks of original research. If anyone knows a source that claims that the two-finger gesture is portrayed in Mediaeval art, we can add it in. mooncow 17:25, 22 March 2020 (UTC)

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What "insulting gesture"?
The article states the V (or double V) is an "insulting gesture". But it doesn't state the insult. It doesn't even suggest what the insult may be. If I could find it online, I'd add it myself...that's why I looked here in the first place, to find out what the insult was! — Preceding unsigned comment added by AmbidexterNH (talk • contribs) 01:23, 23 April 2018 (UTC)

Just flashing that particular gesture, the V with palm facing the flasher, is the insult.

It's vulgarity/rudeness is exactly like the insult of showing someone your middle finger in the United States. In America, to many people the middle finger means "fuck you", but it doesn't have to mean that. It's the same for the V in Europe. IIIIsongIIII (talk) 00:18, 23 August 2021 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 19:37, 25 March 2019 (UTC)
 * JaniceVidal image.jpg

Insulting in India and Pakistan
I have been looking for a page that states that the palm in v-sign is insulting in India. However the two sources I have found indicate it is not widely known in India.

Now while neither of these are reliable sources and one is a repost of a USA article, they are indicative that the insulting gesture is not commonly used or even known in India (and by extention Pakistan). So I am removing the inclusion of those two nations from the list of countries where a palm in v-sign is insulting and if they are reintroduced into the article then it must be with a citation to a reliable source (per WP:BURDEN) -- PBS (talk) 16:55, 2 July 2022 (UTC)