>My wife heard a comment on the origin of the saying "the whole nine yards." > >Apparently it is the amount of fabric needed to make a complete formal >Scottish kilt, sporran, and plaid and not a reference to American/Canadian >football as I had always suspected. > >Thus the "proper" SI translation would be "the whole eight metres". > >Can anyone back up the origin of this saying? I heard that it is a saying from the aircraft gunners in World War II as the chains that fed the guns were 9 yards long, so if you had a good day (ie, shot all your bullets) you went "the full nine yards" Ross DeMeyere p.s. it reminds me that quite a few sayings came from war, such as Paint the town red (with the blood of our enemies) of which people are only fond of quoting the first part... ---------------------------------------------------------- DeMeyere Design Incorporated +1 612 789 2052 1951 McKinley ST NE FAX +1 612 789 8028 Minneapolis MN 55418-4816 <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> U.S.A. <http://www.demeyere.com/> ----------------------------------------------------------
