ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Abil — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:57:57 GMT

This is quite interesting and I have enjoyed the Wikipedia article. Thanks a lot.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Delmobile — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:36:08 GMT

Just FYI, I posted that Wikipedia link embedded in the text.

There is a video of GW Bush displaying the finger to the camera while goofing around before some filmed event - this is back when he was governor of Texas. You can hear someone off-camera gasp, then Bush says something like, "Hey, it's just the one-finger victory salute!" According to the Wikipedia article, when this video made it to Youtube, the "one-finger salute" phrase caught on.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Abil — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:29:54 GMT

Thanks Optilang and Marius Hancu.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

optilang — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:03:15 GMT

Marius Hancu
Things are a bit more complicated. You can have both the Victory sign and the insult, depending on how your palm is facing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign
In this context, it's probably the latter.

It's definitely the latter. We refer to the Victory salute/sign as that, and the two-fingered salute as the other.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Marius Hancu — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:54:17 GMT

Things are a bit more complicated. You can have both the Victory sign and the insult, depending on how your palm is facing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign

In this context, it's probably the latter.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

optilang — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:39:45 GMT

Here's the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_finger

It has a different meaning in the UK.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Abil — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:31:19 GMT

Delmobile, I did not understand the meaning of one-fingered salute. Can you explain it a bit more.

Also, you seem to have forgot to post the link to Wikipedia article. Thanks for your efforts.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Delmobile — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:17:30 GMT

In the US, a one-fingered "salute" is more common. It's called, variously, giving someone the finger, flipping the bird, or flipping someone off. Here's an interesting Wikipedia article about the gesture.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Abil — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:50:35 GMT

Thanks Optilang, I got it.

Re: "two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

optilang — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:40:55 GMT

Abil
He was supported by opposition Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson, who described the image as a "two-fingered salute to the rest of society". (From BBC news)

Does the highlighted phrase mean insult / affront to the society? This is new to me. Thanks

A two-fingered salute is a very rude gesture. It basically means _ _ _ _ Off

"two-fingered salute to the rest of society"

Abil — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:35:45 GMT

He was supported by opposition Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson, who described the image as a "two-fingered salute to the rest of society". (From BBC news)

Does the highlighted phrase mean insult / affront to the society? This is new to me. Thanks