A good answer might be:
The bit pattern in $8 is moved to $9
($8 is unchanged).
or $9,$8,$0 # $9 <-- contents of $8.
MOVE as OR with Zero
Copying the pattern in a source register to
a destination register is
called a move operation,
even though the source register does not change.
or d,s,$0 # $d <-- contents of $s.