Handshake
- For the usage in telecommunications, see handshaking.
A handshake is a short ritual in which two people grasp their right or left hands, often accompanied by a brief shake of the grasped hands. It is commonly done upon meeting, departing, offering congratulations, or completing an agreement. Its purpose is to demonstrate good will, and possibly originated as a gesture showing that the hand holds no weapon. Men are more likely to shake hands than women, however in business situations it is considered the standard greeting for both sexes.
History
The Islamic handshake is originally a Yemeni pre-islamic tradition, which spread with the expansion of the Islamic empire. The New Testament, in the Book of Galatians reflects the narration of St. Paul, that, upon his visit to Jerusalem he met with James, Cephas (Peter), and John, who each gave him, upon his leaving, the "right hand of friendship." See Galatians 2:9. Galatians has been dated by scholars as between 48 C.E. and 58 C.E. This suggests a usage well known in the Graeco-Roman world several centuries before the Islamic handshake.
It was brought into practice in its present form in Western society by English Quakers in 17th century as a more egalitarian and simpler alternative to the complex greeting etiquette of the contemporary higher social classes. Thomas Jefferson is often accredited with popularizing the technique during his tenure in the White House, displacing the bow as a more democratic greeting. Today the handshake is known and practiced throughout the world, though in many cultures alternative customs for greeting, such as bowing or cheek kissing are still preferred in some situations.
Customs
There are various customs surrounding handshakes, both generically and specific to certain cultures:
- Generally it is considered inappropriate to reject a handshake, and in most social circles it is expected that the one with higher social status will initiate it.
- In some cultures people shake both hands, but in most cultures people shake the right hand.
- Boy scouts specifically use a left handshake. Since the right hand is more commonly dominant, the left hand would typically be used in holding a shield; by shaking with the left hand, one is defenseless while trusting the other person who may still be holding a weapon in the right hand. [1]
- At cattle markets, one can sometimes see cattle farmers slapping each other's faces to negotiate a deal. One farmer will name a price and slap the other's face (with one or two hands). If the other doesn't like the price, he will slap the other's face and name his price. The process of alternatingly slapping continues until they shake hands, thus concluding the deal.
- Fraternities and sororities often use secret handshakes to identify themselves as initiated brothers or sisters to outside members.
- In American culture, there is a "Soul Brother Handshake," also called a "Power" or "Unity" shake, dating to the 1960s, begun among African-American men, and still widely practiced between men of various races and paticularly among teenage boys as a gesture of close friendship. This is usually a three move procedure, beginning with a traditional, palm-to-palm clasp, followed in quick succession by a clasping at the hilt of the thumbs, and finally, by a hooked clasp of only the fingers, in the manner of railroad couplers. Variations include the above, followed by an exchange of facing palm slaps, as in "Gimme Five," or fist bumping, tops-to-bottoms, "the face slap", or knuckles-to-knuckles.
Trivia
Handshakes are a major route for the transmission of common cold viruses.
See also
