Has there ever been another time/culture in which people–in large groups, presumably–expressed gratitude, joy, happiness by something other than clapping hands?
Are there any cultures around now that can be classified like this?
You might start here.
Dunno, but Shakespeare certainly refers to applause, so it goes back a long way.
I’ll refer you to this thread; http://www.takeourword.com/Issue091.html
You’ll have to go down the page about half way, where you’ll get into a question and answer area called Words to the Wise. It’s the third question down.
Anyway;
Applause!
That was the word.
I asked this same question last week and it just SAT there with a big zero on answers.I said CLAP.
What do you make of my Chambers, Dic. of Ety.
…borrowed from Latin, applaudere approve by clapping hands(ap- upon, variant of ad- before p + plaudere clap, applaud, approve).
Did anyone else come in here hoping for the history of applesauce?
Nope. I think you’re pretty much on your own way out there, Wikkit 
I even had a joke. Here it is, just in case:
When it starts growing green stuff, it’s too old.
Doesn’t really work with applause, does it?