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There’s an amazing diversity of greeting customs around the world. In Tibet, sticking out your tongue can be a way of welcoming people. In New Zealand, Maori greet each other by touching noses. Ethiopian men touch shoulders, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, male friends touch foreheads. In many Asian countries, people bow to each other when meeting. And in some European countries, as well as Arab countries, hugs or kisses on the cheek are more the norm. While this wasn’t always true, the most common physical way to greet people around the world is now the handshake.
It’s become so ubiquitous that you may never have thought about why people shake hands. The history of the handshake dates back to the 5th century B.C. in Greece. It was a symbol of peace, showing that neither person was carrying a weapon. During the Roman era, the handshake was actually more of an arm grab. It involved grabbing each other’s forearms to check that neither man had a knife hidden up his sleeve. Some say that the shaking gesture of the handshake started in Medieval Europe. Knights would shake the hand of others in an attempt to shake loose any hidden weapons.
While handshaking is still the most ubiquitous greeting around the world, it may be losing ground in the U.S. The fist bump was, until recently, a gesture mostly used by athletes and young people. Now it’s becoming more and more common among everyone, including older people. Even the President of the United States is a fan of the fist bump. According to one survey, forty-nine percent of Americans sometimes opt for the fist bump, ditching the traditional handshake greeting. The fist bump, made by making a fist and lightly touching knuckles, may be a more fashionable greeting, but for many, it’s a pragmatic choice. Many survey participants said they preferred the fist bump because they were afraid of catching germs by shaking hands. How do people greet each other in your country? Is the fist bump catching on where you live?
Read More:
Handshake
Fear of Germs Threatening the Handshake
In The World Of Global Gestures, The Fist Bump Stands Alone
Click on any word to get a translation from English to your native language.
Click any word to translate.
There are many types of greetings around the world. In Tibet, people stick out their tongues. Maori touch noses. Ethiopian men touch shoulders. In the DRC, male friends touch foreheads. In many Asian countries, people bow to each other. And in some European and Arab countries, hugs or kisses on the cheek are more common. But the most common greeting around the world is the handshake.
The history of the handshake dates back to the 5th century B.C. in Greece. It was a symbol of peace. It showed that no one was carrying a weapon. For the Romans, the handshake was more of an arm grab. They grabbed each other’s forearms to check for hidden knives. Some say that it started in Medieval Europe. Knights would shake the hand of others to shake loose any hidden weapons.
While handshaking is still the most common greeting around the world, it may be losing ground. The fist bump was, until recently, mostly used by athletes and young people. Now it’s becoming common among everyone, including older people. Forty-nine percent of Americans opt for the fist bump, ditching the handshake. Lightly touching knuckles is a practical choice. Some people prefer it because they are afraid of catching germs by shaking hands. How do people greet each other in your country? Is the fist bump catching on where you live?
Read More:
Handshake
Fear of Germs Threatening the Handshake
In The World Of Global Gestures, The Fist Bump Stands Alone
