What is the history of the hand wave?

Question

Why do people wave hello and good bye and what is the origin of the wave.

Answer 1

It may be a variation of the military salute. Which originated either as showing you are unarmed or tipping/taking off hats as a sign of respect.

Answer 2

Hand Waving Bye

Answer 3

What is the history of the hand wave?The term handwaving is an informal term that describes either the debate technique of failing to rigorously address an argument in an attempt to bypass the argument altogether, or a deliberate gesture and admission that one is intentionally glossing over detail for the sake of time or clarity. It can be meant as an accusation or in a more positive light, depending on the context. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handwave http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hand+waving

Answer 4

Anthropologists believe it started out as a stop-go motion. When a look-out saw someone approaching their village, they would hold up there hand, indicating the stranger to stop.



The stranger would then say who they were, what they wanted, etc. and if the look-out swa satisfied, he'd wave them in closer.



The next time the stranger arrived, he wouldn't be a stranger and would get waved in without hesitation. And that turned into the hand-wave.

Answer 5

Waving hi. From germany?