Giving dap
Hand gesture
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Lebrone_James_Doin_a_Funny_Lil_Handshake_-_Beijing_2008_Olympics_%282752036933%29.jpg/170px-Lebrone_James_Doin_a_Funny_Lil_Handshake_-_Beijing_2008_Olympics_%282752036933%29.jpg)
Dap or the dap is a friendly gesture of greeting , agreement, or solidarity between two people that has become popular in Western cultures , particularly since the 1970s, originating from African American communities. [1] Giving dap or dapping typically involves handshaking (often, by hooking thumbs), pound hugging , fist pounding, or chest or fist bumping . [2] The practice and term originated among black soldiers during the Vietnam War , as part of the Black Power movement. [1] [3] 90% of those imprisoned in the Long Binh Jail during the war were African Americans; it was in the jail that the handshake was created under pan-African nationalist influences. [4]
Giving dap can refer to presenting many kinds of positive nonverbal communication between two people, ranging from a brief moment of simple bodily contact to a complicated routine of hand slaps, shakes, snaps, etc. known only by the two participants. Elaborate examples of dap are observed as a pregame ritual performed by many teams in the National Basketball Association . [5] These choreographed actions serve as a means of psychological preparation and team solidarity.
Etymology
The etymology of dap is uncertain, and there are various theories. Most simply, it may be imitative (compare tap , dap ), and is sometimes explained as an acronym for dignity and pride , [3] possibly a backronym .
References
- 1 2 Dalzell, Tom (2009). The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English . Taylor & Francis. p. 271.
- ↑ Green, Lisa J. (2002). African American English: A Linguistic Introduction . Cambridge University Press. p. 144.
- 1 2 Hamilton, LaMont (September 22, 2014). " Five on the Black Hand Side : Origins and Evolutions of the Dap" . Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage . Archived from the original on September 16, 2016 . Retrieved 2018-10-25 .
- ↑ Zinn, Howard (2008). A People's History of American Empire . New York, New York: Metropolitan Books. ISBN 9780805077797 .
- ↑ Sargent, Scott. "The Secret World of NBA Daps" . SB Nation . Retrieved May 1, 2013 .
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png)
- Video of dap greetings archived at Ghostarchive.org on 27 April 2022
Friendly gestures | |
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Gestures of respect | |
Salutes | |
Celebratory gestures | |
Finger-counting | |
Obscene gestures | |
Taunts | |
Head motions | |
Other gestures | |
Related |