Universal Language - Handshake

Realizing that there are many language, either in words or in signs, that are understandable and are widely use in the world. I have decided to gather them one by one; and that is how this series that I called "Universal Language" is being launch. I hope you enjoy this and at the same time learning something.

The second Universal Language that I want to talk about here is the "handshake". I am not really sure if this is being practice all over the world, like in the most remote place in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and such; but I believe that all the countries are using this gesture that is called a handshake. It is a short ritual in which two people grasp one of each other's opposite hands, and in most cases, it is accompanied by a brief up and down movement of the grasped hands. This is commonly done when two people meet for the first time; but on some cases, they do the handshake every time they met. It can also be a greeting or a way of saying "Congratulations!". To some it may mean an agreement, while in sports it means sportsmanship. It doesn't stop there. The meaning of this universal language is endless.
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I was so impress to find out that Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC. Your handshake can make an impression in many ways. A strong handshake indicates being dominant, while a too weak handshake is considered as a sign of disinterest. A handshake is actually very important when meeting people for the first time, and a weak handshake can instantly make people form negative opinions of you.