Applause

You can clap your hands to show joy.

It makes a happy sound. People do this after a show. It tells the star they did well.

Some people use different ways to cheer. In a deaf group, people wave their hands in the air.

This is called visual applause.

In a band, players might tap things. A drum player can tap sticks together. This shows they like the music.

At a golf game, people clap very softly. They do not want to be loud. This helps other players focus.

Applause is a way to be part of the fun.

Applause is a way to show praise. Most people do this by clapping their hands together.

Audiences often clap after a play or a concert. It shows they enjoyed the show.

People have different ways to cheer. In ancient Rome, people waved their clothes to show they liked a show. In some places, people use a claque. A claque is a group of people paid to clap. They make it look like the crowd loves a show.

In classical music, there are special rules. People usually wait until the end of a piece to clap. If the crowd loves a show, they might give a standing ovation. This is when everyone stands up to clap. The star might then come back for an encore. An encore is an extra part of the show.

Some people use quiet ways to cheer. Golfers use a golf clap. This is a very soft clap. It does not bother other players.

In deaf culture, people use visual applause. They raise their hands and twist their wrists. This lets everyone see the joy.

Applause is a special way to show praise or approval. Most people do this by clapping their palms together to make a sound.

People often applaud after a speech, a play, or a musical concert. This act shows that the audience enjoyed what they saw or heard. It is a way for people to feel included in the event. Some people even throw flowers onto a stage to show they are happy.

There are many different ways to make noise to show you are happy. You can stomp your feet or rap your fists on a table. In some cultures, the style of cheering follows special rules. For example, a golf clap is a very quiet way of clapping. Golfers use this soft sound so they do not bother other players. In the game of snooker, players might tap their cue on the table. This is a way to reward a very good shot.

People have been finding ways to cheer for a very long time. In ancient Rome, spectators had different rituals for public shows. Wealthy people waved their togas to show they liked a performance. Lower-class people waved pieces of cloth instead. Even the Roman emperor Aurelian changed these rules. He gave napkins to the people to wave during shows. In the 1830s, some theaters used a group called a claque. These were professional applauders who were paid to cheer loudly.

Different places have very specific rules for when to clap. In classical music, it is often considered rude to clap between movements. Instead, people wait until the entire work is finished. If the music is wonderful, the crowd might give a standing ovation. This means everyone stands up to show great approval. This often leads to a curtain call or an encore. An encore is an extra performance given by the artist.

Applause can look different depending on who is in the room. In deaf culture, people use visual applause to be expressive. They raise their hands high and twist their wrists.

This allows everyone to see the joy without needing sound. In some government buildings, like the UK Parliament, clapping is actually prohibited. Instead, members might shout "hear, hear!" or thump their desks. Even on airplanes, passengers sometimes clap when the wheels touch the runway.

Applause is a widespread human custom used to express praise, approval, or an ovation. Most commonly, it involves the physical act of clapping, which is striking the palms of the hands together to create sound.

Audiences typically use this gesture after a performance, such as a play, a speech, or a musical concert. This action serves as a way for participants to show enjoyment and fulfills a social need to feel included in the event. While the exact age of this custom is uncertain, it remains a fundamental way for people to communicate shared appreciation.

The mechanics of applause can vary greatly depending on the tools and body parts used. While clapping is the standard, people can devise many ways to make noise to show approval. This might include stomping feet on the floor or rapping fists and hands against a table. In specific settings, the method of making noise is governed by social conventions. For example, in the game of snooker, a player might reward a difficult shot by tapping their cue against the edge of the table. In skateboarding culture, observers express encouragement by banging their boards against the ground.

Different cultures and settings have developed distinct types of applause. In deaf culture, audiences use a visual variant known as visual applause. Instead of making sound, they raise their hands straight up with outstretched fingers and twist their wrists.

In classical music, the etiquette is much stricter. While a standing ovation—where the entire audience rises to show extreme approval—is common, indiscriminate clapping is often seen as a violation of protocol. In these settings, listeners usually wait until the end of an entire work rather than clapping between individual movements.

History shows that the rituals of applause have shifted significantly over time. Ancient Romans used specific gestures to show different degrees of approval at public performances. Wealthy spectators would wave their togas, while lower-class spectators waved pieces of cloth. The Roman emperor Aurelian eventually substituted these cloths with napkins he distributed to the people. By the 1830s, French theaters saw the rise of the claque. A claque was an organized group of professional applauders paid to create the illusion of high approval. These professionals had specific roles, such as "laughers" who feigned laughter or "criers" who faked tears to influence the audience.

The influence of these professional groups led to changes in how music is composed. Famous composers like Gustav Mahler and Felix Mendelssohn began requesting that their scores have no breaks between movements. They did this specifically to prevent the claque from interrupting the flow of the music with applause. This historical tension helped create the modern applause etiquette found in many classical concert halls today. Similarly, the composer Richard Wagner changed opera structures to eliminate musical "full stops," ensuring the music flowed continuously to prevent interruptions.

In modern professional settings, the timing and purpose of applause follow strict protocols. Politicians and musicians often receive applause as soon as they appear on stage. This is not a response to a specific performance, but an accolade for their past achievements. In the United States, the President of the United States often receives interruptions of applause during the State of the Union Address. In contrast, legislative bodies like the UK Parliament and the Parliament of India generally prohibit clapping. In these halls, members instead show support by shouting "hear, hear!" or by thumping their desks.

Applause also serves unique functions in specialized environments. At film festivals like Cannes or Venice, standing ovations can last longer than 20 minutes. These long displays of approval are often directed at the director and actors rather than the film itself. In the world of sports, such as football in Britain or basketball in Israel, a "minute's applause" has emerged as a way to show respect. This practice has even begun to replace the traditional minute of silence used for the deceased in some instances. Whether it is a quiet "golf clap" or a thunderous roar, applause remains a powerful tool for human connection.