Update

[Jerry Jacka]

“The expression ‘up on cloud nine’ to describe a feeling of euphoric 
exaltation is based on actual terminology used by the U.S. Weather Bureau. 
Clouds are divided into classes and each class is divided into nine types. 
‘Cloud nine’ is the cumulonimbus cloud that you often see building up in the 
sky in a hot summer afternoon. It may reach 30,000 to 40,000 feet, so if one 
is up on ‘cloud nine,’ one is high indeed. The popularity of ‘cloud nine’ as a 
catch phrase, though, may be credited to the ‘Johnny Dollar’ radio show of the 
1950s. There was one recurring episode, like Fibber McGee’s famous opening of 
the closet door. Every time the hero was knocked unconscious – which was often 
– he was transported to ‘cloud nine.’ There Johnny could start talking again.” 
>From “Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins” by William and Mary Morris 
(HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 1997).

Jerry Jacka


>===== Original Message From John Burton <John.Burton at anu.edu.au> =====
>Dear Mihalic subscribers
>
>As you may have noticed, little has happened recently on this front. I have
>been settling in at home in Canberra after a year away and am nearly right
>to get started again. A minor problem was that I was locked out of part of
>my ANU account due to a technical problem but this is all fixed now.
>
>In the meantime, having railed against a certain provincial governor for his
>constant use of weird English expressions, including 'yupela bai stap long
>cloud nain' when addressing landowners, I am now reliably informed that
>"everyone talks about 'cloud nain' in the village" (in Western Highlands).
>
>1. Should this be klaut nain or cloud nain or "cloud nine" (etc)???
>
>2. You wouldn't believe how many businesses (rainforest lodges, quilt
>makers, marriage celebrants, ISPs ...) are called 'Cloud Nine', not to
>mention the rock band (http://members.aol.com/cloudnines/index.htm) and the
>George Harrison appreciation site
>(http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/8446/). But where on earth did
>"cloud nine" originate?
>
>The last site usefully contains the lyrics to Harrison's eponymous song
>("I'll show you cloud nine...", "I'll see you there on cloud nine...",
>"While you're out looking for cloud nine...") but I'm none the wiser.
>
>Can anyone (perhaps aged hippies) help with a derivation of the phrase?
>
>3. How did this get into Tok Pisin and what do speakers use it to mean,
>other than the usual idea of a state of rapture? Are there allusions to
>marijuana usage??
>
>The mind boggles, eh.
>
>John Burton
>----------------------
>12 Lilley Street
>O'Connor
>ACT 2602 Australia
>tel +61 2 6257 6724

Jerry Jacka
Department of Anthropology
1218 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403 USA
fax: (541) 346-0668
jacka at oregon.uoregon.edu