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On this day in 1921, the word "robot" was invented

wired.com — 1921: A new play premiers at the National Theater in Prague, the capital of what was then Czechoslovakia. R.U.R, (which stands for Rossum's Universal Robots) by Karel Capek, marks the first use of the word "robot" to describe an artificial person. Capek invented the term, basing it on the Czech word for "forced labor."

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  • Akaji, on 10/12/2007, -4/+42On this day in 2121, the word "human" was retired.
    • affanjam, on 10/12/2007, -11/+11Come with me if you want to live
    • sundancekid503, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4How coincidental that on this day 2007 robots eliminate the human race...

      You have no chance to survive make your time

      Ha ha ha ha ..
    • soogy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12@sundancekid503
      Scroll down, find the guy who got dugg down for making the same lame joke as you.

      Anyhow, technically, the word "robot" was not invented on this day, it merely premiered in a public show. It was invented in 1920 when Rossum's Universal Robots was written.

      Actually, even the word "robot" wasn't invented until a few years later when it was translated into English in 1923. It was "robota" in Czech, which is what the play premiered in.

      Edit: I just realized how lame it was of me to get so technical.
    • sundancekid503, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2@soogy
      "Scroll down, find the guy who got dugg down for making the same lame joke as you."

      Robots think alike. It's not a joke.
    • flag564, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Domo arigato to the man who created the roboto.

      Ok, I at least tried...
    • Twigge, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Anyhow, technically, the word "robot" was not invented on this day, it merely premiered in a public show. It was invented in 1920 when Rossum's Universal Robots was written.

      Actually, even the word "robot" wasn't invented until a few years later when it was translated into English in 1923. It was "robota" in Czech, which is what the play premiered in.

      Edit: I just realized how lame it was of me to get so technical."

      If you want to get technical, the word was not invented right when the play was written, nor by Karel Čapek. It was created by Karel Čapek's (wrote R.U.R.) brother, Josef, who suggested robota as a substitute for delnas after the play had been initially written.
  • FunkyWitDaSysTm, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1hm. fascinating.
  • danknerd, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1Dont be a fool... I invented the word Robot! Karel Capek is the DEBIL!
  • tuxidomasx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+23If a robot does "the robot," is it called "the robot" or is it just called dancing?
  • celestial, on 10/12/2007, -11/+4In A.D. 2101
    War was beginning.
    Captain: What happen?
    Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
    Operator: We get signal.
    Captain: What!!
    Operator: Main screen turn on.
    Captain: It's you!!
    Cats: How are you gentlemen!!
    Cats: All your base are belong to us.
    Cats: You are on the way to destruction.
    Captain: What you say!!
    Cats: You have no chance to survive make your time.
    Cats: Ha ha ha ha...
  • surfing, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Here's a link to the script:
    http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/RUR-Capek-1920.htm

    Act it out, record and post to YouTube.
  • redrabbit, on 10/12/2007, -11/+4I thought Isaac Asimov invented the word?
    • Mystyrys, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10He invented the Three Laws of Robotics.

      1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
      2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
      3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
    • ProximaC, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3No, he created the laws of robotics, but not the word itself.
    • nfolken, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4i thought so too, so i checked Wikipedia:
      "Furthermore, the Oxford English Dictionary credits his science fiction for introducing the word... robotics into the English language. Asimov coined the term robotics without suspecting that it might be an original word; at the time, he believed it was simply the natural analogue of mechanics, hydraulics, and so forth. (The original word robot derives from the Czech word for "forced labor", robotovat, robota and was first employed by the playwright Karel Čapek in R.U.R. [Rossum's Universal Robots].)"
    • Dumbledorito, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3You forgot the zeroeth law: A robot may not allow, through action or inaction, harm to come to humanity.
    • stellamaris, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Isaac Asimov is my hero. I'm trying to get all the guys I know to start sporting the Asimov Muttonchops. So far, it has been unsucessful.

      Bring back the chops!
  • bradrmattison, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1No, clearly Capek. It's a fantastic book (play.)
  • Pix869, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I feel like part of history..
  • MastaBaba, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hmmm. 'robot' in every Slavic language I know a bit (including Czech) means 'work', not 'forced labour'.
  • semengilligan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2On this day in 1921 man starts developing robots for sex
  • Velireon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.
  • unhappy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I am Slovak therefore i speak Czech & Polish (Slavs understand that statement).

    The word 'robot' (masculine) comes from the word 'robota' (feminine) which means 'work' or 'labor' sometimes even 'job'
    but has nothing to do w/ 'forced'
    • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1All work is forced, by necessity or greed. I only work because I'm addicted to eating food and sleeping in a warm bed.
    • micval, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Well, you're wrong and so is the other Slovak guy. In Czech robota mostly refers to the unpaid (forced) labor of the common people for their liege during feudalism which was canceled in 1848.
  • Velireon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1As long as they're headed by the Imperious Leader, and not a tin basketball creatively named "Omnius".
  • knazo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4just want to confirm that both MastaBaba and Unhappy are correct. I am Slovak born in CzechoSlovakia (therefore speak czech) and work robot(a) means work not forced labor. I have copied following from wiki (search robot) :The word comes from the Czech word robota, compulsory labor[2] or work (also used in a sense of a serf), first used by Karel Čapek in his science fiction play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) in 1921, and according to Čapek, was coined by his brother, painter Josef Čapek (see also etymology of robot). The word was brought into popular Western use by famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov.

    • UnknownCzar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1People keep digging you down.. weird..

      But yeah, like he said, and like the other guys said, it means work. It's the same in russian (rabota), in ukrainian (robota), and every other slavic langauge.
    • tPaK, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0In my opinion it was originally used for forced labor (check Czech wiki: http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poddanstv%C3%AD). Eventually it got into normal language as a word used for work, but unlike Slovak (I think) it's not used in this meaning in literary language and it's rather used for an "unpleasant job".
      P.S.: yes, I'm Czech
  • honesttussey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1My high school did this play a few years back it's actually not bad and it sets the precedent for every other Sci-Fi film involving hostile robot take overs. In short man creates robots to do labor, eventually the robots rebel and over power the humans. A few humans retreat to an island but are unable to hold off the approaching robots. In the end a robot kills the last human. If you ever have the chance to watch it, it's worth it.

    -jt
  • opinpi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Tobor is robot spelled backwards"
  • aliengoods, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ah, the good old days. I'm going to pop in the DVD of Metropolis. Recommended for anyone who wants to see the first awesome sci-fi movie ever made. Its so old, its a silent film.
  • lunchie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I am Czech and I have to confirm that 'robota' is really forced labor. It was sometimes in 19. century (I hope, I am not good in history), when rural people were not forced to fork couple of days from week for the feudalists.
    • tPaK, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I confirm, it was in 1848.
    • david927, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Nejsem Cech a proto nevim, ale myslim ze mas pravdu, ty vole.
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