# How old is applause?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 17, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737 "2003-08-17T06:32:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vlad\_M.Paler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d26b3c/32.png) [@Vlad\_M.Paler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_M.Paler)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/1 "2003-08-17T06:32:44Z")

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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?

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**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/2 "2003-08-17T07:13:23Z")

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You might start here.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/clappers.shtml](http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/clappers.shtml)

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**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/3 "2003-08-17T14:00:45Z")

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Dunno, but Shakespeare certainly refers to applause, so it goes back a long way.

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**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/4 "2003-08-17T14:47:44Z")

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I’ll refer you to this thread; [http://www.takeourword.com/Issue091.html](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;

> [@](#):
>
> The notion of striking one’s hands together to make a sound did not arise until the late 14th century, at least in print, when Chaucer wrote “Whan this Maister…Saugh it was tyme he clapte hise handes” in The Franklin’s Tale.

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**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/5 "2003-08-18T00:14:43Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/6 "2003-08-18T01:16:49Z")

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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).

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**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/7 "2003-08-18T03:30:43Z")

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Did anyone else come in here hoping for the history of applesauce?

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**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/8 "2003-08-18T03:43:47Z")

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Nope. I think you’re pretty much on your own way out there, Wikkit 🙂

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**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-applause/195737/9 "2003-08-18T04:39:43Z")

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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?