|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55
newbie
|
OP
newbie
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55 |
OK, ok! I did the search here, and I don't understand the whole nine yards bit, and tsuwmn's link from last year (March) didn't take me a millimeter closer to finding the first thing about the whole nine yards.
And, of Troy, that construction description of yours didn't make sense to my mind, which is always way out there far from things like cement! Ooh, my aching feet stuck in cement! Can't move much.
So, from Ozoneland here, what is this whole nine yards bit about? If it's construction, is it nine square yards?
Completely spaced out on this one,
OrB~ and please pardon the introduction of a repeated topic
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
was the link to Quinion? http://www.quinion.com/words/articles/nineyards.htmyou don't like his non-answer? there are some mysteries in our language and it would appear that this is one. Quinion: If you're hoping for a definitive answer, you'd better buy a crystal ball. I have to say straight away this is one of the great unsolved mysteries of modern etymology, for which many seek the truth and almost as many find explanations, but hardly anyone has a clue. What we do know is that the phrase is recorded from the 1960s, is an Americanism (it's nothing like so well known in Britain, for example), and has the meaning of "everything; all of it; the whole lot; the works". But there are no leads anyone can discover to a reasonable idea of where it came from.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Gotta go with tsuwm (and Quinion) here. There's zillions of explanations and every one of them has something seriously wrong with it.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55
newbie
|
|
OP
newbie
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55 |
Dear tsuwm,
The link I tried took me to a page where there were just a lot of choices, so I clicked on "Phrases," and among the phrases listed was the notable absence of "whole nine yards." I probably was off-course.
Thanks for pasting the mystery.
All for life's mysteries,
OrB~
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439 |
You can always count on the Board for the whole nine yards on any subject!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
the whole nine yardsAw, everybody knows it came from "the full monty"!  which has a similar meaning and has the same etymological haze surrounding it...try searching the board for that one if you have a few days to spare, OrionsBelt~...another much-discussed (to say the least!) enigma. My apologies to the board for bringing the f.m. phrase up again, but it did seem relevant here.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Dear Whit,
And to complicate matters, consider the Emperor's new clothes being made of the whole nine yards as he showed off the full monty!
Rocketing outta here into the stratosphere,
OrB~ -- Wordwind -- Whatever -- Life is confusing!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55
newbie
|
|
OP
newbie
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55 |
Me, I'm still working on the whole nine inches! Cannot tell whether I'm coming or going here. Is there some mystical meaning for nine? I mean, we got the cat o'nine tails... Why nine, I ask you? And how 'bout the Beatles and "Number nine, number nine, number nine"! What was that all about?
And then, since I'm on the subject of how weird numbers are, why do people say, "I'm all sixes and sevens here"?
I don't get it.
Don't even know who I bloody am anymore,
OrB~ (I think...I think I got it right this time!)
And, come to think of it, bloody Clementine's shoes--those herring boxes--were number nine! What's this with nine anyway????
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
Oh, mighty nightly warrior, what a great thought! (has anyone else been keeping track of Jupitor? now days, it can be seen nightly, in north, very close to Orion)
Yes, certain numbers have "magical" qualities.. 7-- it is thought that the seven planets known to the ancient started seven off as a lucky number, but i have never (and i don't remember reading anything here) explored why we use that set of characters (well, we did a bit on Octo (Hi, ya Love(land) Child Jazzo!) and i know octo (eight) goes back to latin and further to greek.. but now i am going to start exploring and see if any numbers have any magicical connotations in their roots.. (crossing threads.. an other theme? Words you can count on?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
since I'm on the subject of how weird numbers areLooks like you're behind the eight ball on this one, OrB~! 
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,345
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
718
guests, and
0
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
