answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

It seems to be a natural human response to something they find pleasing. I was made aware of this when I saw a video of the geiser Old Faithful erupt. When it had finished, the people who had watched it all started clapping their hands just like they would for a live human performer. Small children often clap their hands together when they see something like a puppy or kitten. It must be hard wired into the way we react to things around us.

User Avatar

Wiki User

17y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

7mo ago

Hand-clapping as a form of applause dates back to ancient Roman times, where it was used to show appreciation in theaters. Over time, this practice spread to other cultures and evolved into a universal gesture of approval and celebration.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

The practice of clapping hands is common to all cultures. In some, it indicates approval, in others, it is an demand for the person to sit down and shut up (or similar equivalent). Such a basic gesture goes back so far in human custom that it is impossible to say where its various meanings originated.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What is the origin of hand-clapping to show applause?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What is the origin of the word applause?

Word applause came from Latin applaudere, from ad- + plaudere to applaud, it is the expression of approval by the act of clapping the palms of the hands together to create noise.


Name a place where you hear applause?

Concert, sporting event, theater, game show


How did Greeks know their plays were successful?

There is mention in various ancient Greek writers of hand-clapping and noisemaking for the purpose of appreciation in such writers as Xenophon, Plato (The Laws) and Aristophanes (The Frogs) but they are fraught with ambiguity. In some cases the citations could mean that the clapping was to accompany music not to show appreciation. In others it is clear that appreciation is what is meant, but it is not clear whether hand-clapping or some other noise-making, like slapping hands on one's seat, was the standard form of applause. It is only with the Romans that applause becomes a serious issue, frequently and specifically addressed. We know an awful lot about the arcane world of Roman plaudits, but the Greeks remain something of a mystery. The odds are, however, that they expressed their opinion of the plays the way audiences generally do nowadays: with handclapping. (I will leave aside the interesting question of whether facebook-liking and twitter-following is in fact a form of silent applause.)


What part of speech is applause?

Applause is a noun.


How do you say applause in French?

To applause (verb) is "applaudir" in French; a round of applause is 'des applaudissements'.


What is Applause a group of?

Applause is a group of people clapping or cheering in appreciation of something, such as a performance or achievement.


How do you make a sentence with applause?

Please hold hold your applause.


When was Applause Records created?

Applause Records was created in 1981.


When did Applause Records end?

Applause Records ended in 1983.


When was Applause Inc. created?

Applause Inc. was created in 1966.


What is the collective noun for applause?

The collective noun is a round of applause.


When was Daihatsu Applause created?

Daihatsu Applause was created in 1989.