Where does the expression "the whole 9 yards" come from?

It's one of my favorite sayings because of the history behind it.

It's the length of a full round of machine gun ammo. To give them the "whole nine yards" is to give it everything you've got.

It's the length of a full round of machine gun ammo. To give them the "whole nine yards" is to give it everything you've got.

hrmm i always thought it was sports related, expecally football seeing that everything is done in yards... but that makes more sense

Yup... It's from the Battle of Britain. If you were flying

a Supermarine Spitrife and you had a ME109 or what

have you dead in your sights for a killshot you might

open fire and "give 'em all nine yards", as in blow him

to smitherines in a hail of .50 Caliber gunfire.

Way cooler than any silly sports annalogy.

Anyone else think they messed up calling the sequel to the movie "The whole ten yards"

... and how stupid is the idea of Ocean's Twelve and Thirteen?

I've got a problem with "Generation Y" personally. "Generation X" is supposed to mean the 10th (thus X in Roman numerals), so the following generation would be "Generation XI" not "Generation Y." But that's my little OCD problem.

Another thing, aside from the Battle of Britain analogy, there is also the analogy that ONE ammo belt from the P-47 Thunderbolt was exactly 9 yards long (and think about it, that plane had EIGHT machine guns).

I've got a problem with "Generation Y" personally. "Generation X" is supposed to mean the 10th (thus X in Roman numerals), so the following generation would be "Generation XI" not "Generation Y." But that's my little OCD problem.

Generation Y is more in reference to that generation's tendency to question everything.

It's actually supposed to be Generation Why?

Gen. X is not as in Roman Numerals...

it's like "Brand X" or what have you.

The generic generation, does not stand

for anything... apathetic. The no name

ganeration, The ANTI-generation.

If I understand it correctly.

Gen. X is not as in Roman Numerals...

it's like "Brand X" or what have you.

The generic generation, does not stand

for anything... apathetic. The no name

ganeration,  The ANTI-generation.

If I understand it correctly.

Exactly. One of my favorite authors, Douglas Coupland, off-handedly coined the term. I went to see him speak and read from one of his new books when he was in town one day. Generation X was the title of one of his books about that particular age group, and the name stuck. He said he didn't realize it would become such a part of culture like that. He also confirmed the basic idea of what Sixty8 said above.

Another thing, aside from the Battle of Britain analogy, there is also the analogy that ONE ammo belt from the P-47 Thunderbolt was exactly 9 yards long (and think about it, that plane had EIGHT machine guns).

So should it have been "give 'em the whole 72 yards?"

Gen. X is not as in Roman Numerals...

it's like "Brand X" or what have you.

The generic generation, does not stand

for anything... apathetic. The no name

ganeration,  The ANTI-generation.

If I understand it correctly.

I thought that too...the "lost" generation, but that's not what I've been led to believe. 200 years in the US and 20 years per generation....10 generations. Thus, Generation X.

And "Generation Y" was just the next letter in the alphabet.

I thought that too...the "lost" generation, but that's not what I've been led to believe. 200 years in the US and 20 years per generation....10 generations. Thus, Generation X.

And "Generation Y" was just the next letter in the alphabet.

both the x and Y generations are lost generations...

we are all over educated and under acheviers...

i remember reading something regaurding advertisement, and the generation X&Y both know when they are being sold to... so typical advertisement that works on baby boomers has no effect to us...

i know i'm over educated, and definatly an underacheiver...

LOL Funny but true.... I hate when advertising thinks

it can figure me out. It's insulting & lame.