On a TV show I watch, one of the characters is a foppish, somewhat-pompous American male who served in the Revolutionary War. When he applauds, he does so by smacking the back of his right hand into the palm of his left, instead of palm-to-palm as we do today.
Was/is this ever a thing in any culture/subculture? Or is this a cute affectation created by the actor to give his character some uniqueness?
Well it’s more than a one off thing.
I believe I’ve seen it in two situation types.
Aristocrats do it in period movies.
And Aliens who look like humans do it. Because of course I can’t clap like an earthling.
I don’t know the definitive answer to your question. But my guess is it probably was a thing sometime ago.
I may start doing that, as a normal palm-to-palm clap is painful for my arthritic thumbs.
I do that when I’m holding something in my right hand.
Are you talking about Isaac (on Ghosts U.S.)?
I’m with Grrr; I’ve seen it before but don’t know the origins. Perhaps it was simply viewed as more refined. One doesn’t want to slap one’s hands together as if they were flippers. One isn’t a trained seal, after all.
In the first Harry Potter movie, Professor Dumbledore claps something like this. Both hands held palms down, he delicately taps the back of his right hand with the palm (more like the fingers, really) of the left. It’s a response to each student’s house assignment.
However, I think the main point of this is just to contrast with the enthusiastic, palms-together applause he gives when Harry is assigned to Gryffindor.
I’m partial to doing that, especially as mentioned upthread, if I’m holding something (like a coffee) in my right hand. I don’t think there’s any inherent conspiracy or cultural bias happening.
My Daddy did this. He was not pompous.
He was loud, bombastic and fun.
He always said he thought it more polite.
He also said if he had been at a dance where the Glen Miller band was playing he’d probably clap like a teen at a rock concert. And scream like a girl.
Is this really a thing? Probably a form of “golf clap”? Never seen it, but I have seen plenty of people applaud by snapping their fingers (can be done using both hands together or only one) or rapping the table when other forms of applause were not appropriate or or they just felt like it.
Are you admitting that you are an alien?
Yes.
[Isaac]Great gasp everyone! ::applauds politely::[/Isaac]
Haha missed that. I’ll only admit to phone having bad speech to text skills.
somewhat related:
Is “knocking on the desk” in the academic world universally done (as form of applause)?
As an academic, I haven’t run into that, but I have experience in only a small number of American universities.
That reminded me, though, that the practice among classical musicians is to stomp their feet, presumably because their hands are occupied with their instruments.
Tends to make a good noise on stage as well. It can be a good encouragement for the audience to engage in another round of enthusiastic applause.
WRT the OP. I would regard the palm to back of hand clapping as a form of polite appreciation bordering on faint praise. It would be considered rude not to acknowledge the efforts of the performers but doesn’t go further. No doubt the aristocracy or moneyed classes felt themselves above the need for anything more unless they were truly moved by the performance.
King George II was claimed to be moved enough by the hallelujah chorus to stand up. Not every performance can be so lucky.
It is definitely not universally done. Seems more common in Europe IME. It was de rigeur in Germany, for instance.
ETA this article is titled “Why Snapping Is The New Clapping”
but the article itself is old, and snapping/knocking are hardly “new”—in fact the guy quoted in the article acknowledges as much.
ETA2 Persian snap
The Bajorans of Star Trek do this.
I do it, too. Clapping the back of your hand against your palm is less painful than palm-to-palm.
Nice recovery.
Can’t load the video on this Invidious instance. YouTube is currently trying to block Invidious instances.
String players also “applaud” by tapping their bows on their music stands.