The Royal Wave
January 26th, 2007 by levende
Wave originates from Old English: wafian, from Proto-Germanic *wab-, from Proto-Indo-European base *webh- “to move to and fro, to weave”. Thus one can easily fit the handwave into the concept of brainwaves or even waves as physical phenomena: The movement back and forth.
So far, we’ve discussed royalty a little but we haven’t really discussed the royal wave - the wave that royals and presidents give their admirers when doing public appearances. Since the Swedish king has already been representing genetic royalty, here is an ol’ Queen waving instead:
Waving is a wide-spread greeting when there is a distance between subject and object. Waving is not only for royals and celebrities. Waving can eventually transform itself into loving embraces. Waving is kindness across a territory. We can learn a lot from waving.
So my question is:
How do you wave? Back and forth? From the wrist and up, or with your entire arm? Or only with the fingers, like children often do?
Or do you wave like a dog?
6 Responses to “The Royal Wave”
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What a great friday-after-noon-giggle :-)
Actually I have no idea how I wave… my spontanious answer would be that it depends on the situation - but I probably have a very distinct wave that I was never quite aware of but that everyone who knows me would be able to pinpoint. Actually that’s kind of scary…
Gee thanks - One more thing to worry about…
I think I like a simple raised arm for the long-distance wave. If I meet someone in a corridor, however, I tend to wave in a less noble manner: the arm close to my body and the hand moving too quickly.
He he, Nadja, sorry to give you one more thing to worry about… but consider the possibility of having a trademark wave, now wouldn’t that be something?
*imagines cyclone bill in corridor, waving in his less-than-noble manner* :-D
Is it only in corridors that you tend to wave this way?
Yesterday the ‘Mexican wave’ was banned at all sporting events in Australia.
For those unfamiliar with it. When you have a stadium crowd. People in one section stand and throw their hands in the air, then quickly sit. Then the people to one side do the same. In this fasion it travels like a ripple around the stadium.
It is fun to watch and be a part of. Unfortunately, people also throw stuff (bottles etc) as they wave, so alas it is now banned.
Mind you, knowing us aussies, chances are the ban may increase the incidence of mexican waves, just to piss the lawmakers off.
@ Dave: Ahhhh - The Mexican Wave… sure is a lot of fun and gives your body that fantastic wavy rush…
Couldn’t they just have banned the blottle-throwing?
[…] I then - inspired by Levende’s post on The royal wave and elaborating on my own reflexions on the shock waves that flood the world - recalled the first time the Princess was introduced to the Danes. It was in 1995. Those were the days when hardly anyone owned a cell-phone (and those who did couldn’t send sms’es) and the internet hadn’t become a household-name yet. Those were the days when everybody watched the tv-press-conferences from the engagement and (some…) bought the gossip-magazines. Those were the days when the Royal Family could still more or less control when to pop their big news. Now - 12 years, a few royal divorces, a single-mom-Norwegian-crown-princess and a paparazzicaused death - later, the news of this semi-royal marriage spread through new channels we didn’t even know of then. In wavelike patterns…with tsunami-like strengh and speed. […]