Book 2, Question 104
Why Do We Wave Hello?
When we see a friend far away, we don't need to shout. We can just wave. A wave says, I see you, and I am friendly, with no words needed.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- Gestures are movements we make naturally when we speak, and some people talk with their hands a lot.
- You can often understand part of a conversation from gestures alone.
- A popular idea is that the handshake began as a sign of peace, showing you were not holding a weapon.
- Handshakes appear in ancient art on vases, gravestones and stone carvings.
- An ancient stone carving shows King Shalmaneser III of Assyria shaking hands with a Babylonian.
- In America, Quakers in the 1700s likely helped make the handshake popular. They felt it was fairer than bowing, curtsying or tipping a hat.
Sources: BBC, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
Do hand gestures mean the same thing everywhere?
Not always. Some gestures have different meanings depending on a person's culture.