Just came across this topic, whilst searching for something else entirely.  Even though it is six months old, I'll dredge it back up because I am curious.

I thought that "f***" was Anglo-Saxon, perhaps originally Old German.  The story about "pluck yew" is pretty clearly contrived to support a bad pun.  And I read at snopes.com that the gesture with the middle finger extended, dates back to the Romans.

The British gesture is very confusing to me, as an American.  Of course, I am familiar with Tricky Dick (Richard Nixon, if you insist) who I thought was using the gesture as a victory sign -- but then again, maybe he was more subtle than I give him credit for.  I am familiar with Winston Churchill's use of the gesture, but I was not familiar with the history of it.  My curiosity being roused at least to the point of typing "google", I have found several sources asserting that the "V" sign is a very insulting gesture, though there seems to be some subtle distinction in the degree of insult depending on whether the knuckles face the gesturer or the gesturee.

On the other hand, one British acquaintance was fond of hold up his hand with the first two fingers folded and hidden, ring and pinky fingers extended, when he was expressing his opinion of some asinine software requirement.  He explained to me that the Normans had once cut off the bow fingers of Saxon poachers, when they caught them, and this gesture essentially meant, "We can beat you even without them!"

English, Leeds_lobber, does this gesture sound familiar to you?  Maybe it is different gestures in different parts of England?

     Willeke,                                                                              
         "Your Dutch traditions are different......." Do you mean a different method of deriving word-origins ( etymology ) or do you mean different traditions concerning.......ahem.......obcene gestures?!    Either way, please tell us more!!                  .......Dan

Most used here, nearly the only I think, is the middle finger pointing upwards, the fingers next on both sides up to the first knuckle, the other fingers not showing.

I meant to say that we do not often use any of the V signs.

Words do develope here as in most languages.

Willeke