Newsgroups: sci.lang
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From: aa318@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (John Coughlin)
Subject: Re: Robots
Message-ID: <D4wCLr.4vE@freenet.carleton.ca>
Sender: aa318@freenet3.carleton.ca (John Coughlin)
Reply-To: aa318@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (John Coughlin)
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet
References: <888496381wnr@shappski.demon.co.uk>  
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 03:34:38 GMT
Lines: 19

In a previous posting, Andre Shapps (Andre@shappski.demon.co.uk) writes:
> Does anyone know the origin of the word "robot"? I had a feeling 
> it might be related to the Russian "rabotat", to work, which 
> some dictionaries indicate (although they quote Czech and Old 
> Slavonic).
> 
> Others tell me that it's an acronym for - well I forget now.
> 
> Anyone know the truth?
> 
The word was introduced into English via German in the 1920s.  It was used
by Czech playwright Karel Capek in his play "Rossum's Universal Robots" to
refer to mechanical people constructed to perform menial tasks.  "Robota"
is a Czech word meaning drudgery or forced labour.
--
Flesh:  John Coughlin                       ___     __o
Net:    jcoughlin@acm.org                 ___     _`\<,
        aa318@freenet.carleton.ca          ___   (_)/(_)
Status: Mi hidrodeslizador esta' lleno de anguillas.
