h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have always had a question about shoulders.
Perhaps you can explain why it is called a should-er?

A sitter is one who sits. A teacher one who teaches.
Is the shoulder connected to some moral or legal responsibilty?

You probably don't think I'm serious do you.

But this question has plagued me for years. I know there is some connection, because placing a hand on the shoulder of someone you're instructing usually results in more emphatic and positive responses.
Parents shake their children by the should-ers to get them to behave as they 'should'.
A new knight is touched on the should-er with a sword when honoured with all the social responsibilty of Sir Knighthoodedness.

Is it just a subliminal connection (that none-the-less works as predictably as any conditioned response) or is there really some proven psycho/physiological interface between the shoulders and one's sense of behaviorial duties and obligations?

Straighten up. Shoulders back. Chin in.

peace
jwf

While I'm not an etymologist (or is it entymologist I always forget) I will look up the language of origin in the morning (nearing midnight mytime).

The shoulder, you should know is the most able of the joints. It is able do move in any direction, in fact it can move in two directions at once! Well, it SHOULD be able to.

Friar