I always thought that the correct spelling for the little finger was "pinkie" but after seeing an article from The Wise Geek, I looked at several sources and found that the American spelling is "pinky" and "pinkie" comes from the Scots.
See the article below:
In medieval times, the pinky fingers were used during a meal, for tasting spices, such as salt or mustard. The act of sticking out one's pinky finger while drinking is thought to date back to the medieval practice of using it for dipping into spices, while eating. During this time period, eating utensils were not typically used. Rather, food was eaten with the hands, with the pinky fingers being extended out to remain clean so they could be dipped into spices and placed on the tongue. After the 16th century, utensils became commonplace, but the act of extending the pinky finger, particularly while drinking tea, has remained for some as an act of formality.
1 comment:
That would be hilarious to see someone dipping spices with the pinky and scarfing down the rest like a caveman! ML
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