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One thing people are missing is according to the short story upon which the original movie was based, and by extension the remake, Klaatu was a servant while Gort and the robots are the masters. The phrase, then, wouldn't be a command but rather a request. Perhaps something like "Klaatu asks you to refrain". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.198.53.164 ( talk) 20:09, 14 January 2011 (UTC)
There is no known translation for the phrase, although the word "Klaatu" would seem to refer to the name of the humanoid alien. One popular, though officially unconfirmed, translation has the word "barada" meaning "alive" and the word "nikto" meaning "not" (by comparison with the Latin nix)
Can anybody confirm or disprove that the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" is in Esperanto. I kind of doubt it, but a lot of people seem to think that's the case. There probably should be some clarification of that issue on the page itself. Peter G Werner 19:33, 10 March 2006 (UTC)
Sorry, I find this page accidentally... That is, I don't know anything about subject. However, I can say, that nikto is reading (and writing, if you use cyrillic analogues for letters) as russian word никто. It means "nobody", or "no one". Dendr 09:07, 3 May 2006 (UTC)
There's a grammatical problem: nikto is nominative (nikogó, pronounced nikovó, would be the accusative form). If indeed it's supposed to mean "no one" it has to be in the accusative. I've always assumed it meant "Klaatu [says, or as an authenticator] 'harm no one'". Which brings us to barada (or varada, as some suggest). The closest Russian word meaning "hurt" is "vredit'", but the spelling does not support its usage this way.
Bottom line: it can't be Russian, but it could be a related language Gwgoldb ( talk) 16:08, 11 December 2008 (UTC)
I saw the end of the film again today and the 2nd word definitely being with a "B" Gwgoldb ( talk) 02:02, 13 December 2008 (UTC)
"Борода́ — никто́!" /bərɐˈda nʲɪkˈto/ (literally "Beard is nobody!") could be a Russian (somewhat rude) phrase diminishing the significance of a person nicknamed "Борода" ("Beard") :-) -- Djadjko ( talk) 02:07, 19 December 2015 (UTC)
i'm watching the movie right now & it's definately verada.
watch the movie...every time the phrase is said, it is VARADA with a V...try it and be amazed! 2601:18E:C501:E4F3:7ACA:39FF:FEB2:EFCB ( talk) 00:15, 13 August 2017 (UTC)
There are extant copies of the screenplay, and the phrase is in it. "Klaatu barada nikto." 25 September 2019
doesn't matter...what's written in the script is not what they say...in 1962 i saw the movie on TV and wrote in my diary "clatoo varada nicto"... 71.162.113.226 ( talk) 18:19, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
Does anybody have a copy of the movie from which they can post a sound clip of Klaatu (or Helen, for that matter) speaking the phrase? I think it would add substantially to the article. -- Leapfrog314 03:22, 23 May 2006 (UTC)
I believe that it is "borata" and the phrase is an anagram for " u talk at a robot kin"
The given translation I've found in several places is "Kill them not for they know not what they do." Whatever the phrase is it needs to be consistant with the events of the film. It is possible 'Klaatu' has a dual meaning. 'Black' for example can be a name or a colour.-- ANTIcarrot 14:44, 22 July 2006 (UTC)
Re: "References in popular culture" Rock band "Klaatu" of "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" fame (well, it was made famous by the Carpenter's version)--they do have their own wikipedia entry, but might be included on this page as one of the earlier appearances of the word in pop culture.
Actually,as stated on the first issue of Fantastic Films,the phrase is translated as "I die,repair me,do not retaliate." - R.G. ( talk) 08:09, 18 December 2008 (UTC)
=> I always understood is as a last resort shutdown code. Klaatu likely anticipated being killed beyond "repair", so this message would not necessarily have made Gort stop. However, saying, in his native language, "Klaatu said 'stop'" makes perfect sense. Magicmulder ( talk) 12:48, 4 March 2016 (UTC)
Agreeing with AntiCarrot above, it is not a translation, but it is a clear statement of the gravamen of the phrase, to render it as "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani."
In the original short story Klaatu has no control over Gort. Gort is one of many robots the people of galaxy made to protect them from thenselves. If any planet is a threat to galaric peace Gor will act and Klaatu can't stop Gort. "Klaatu barada nikto" is therefore a request, not a command. 40.131.183.93 ( talk) 19:13, 6 August 2018 (UTC)
isn't it in back to the future when he is scaring his father in a darth vader outfit —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.176.172.119 ( talk) 07:03, 15 May 2007 (UTC).
I got to meet RW in Anahiem in 1984 and he said John Carpenter was Jesus and JC was a Messiah or Saviour.
He told me "Klaatu barada nikto" meant Klaatu needs help.
Supercool Dude 19:21, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
Since the Galaxy Quest reference is only a reference to "Klaatu" and not the whole phrase "Klaatu barada nikto", perhaps it belongs on the Klaatu page instead of this one? DH85868993 14:26, 23 July 2007 (UTC)
This is my first post, so please excuse my stupidity in posting.
In 1992, burned out from the stupidity of the Navigator Xian group, I attempted or started converting to Judaism. While attempting to understand this religion, I read in this book the alliteration of this prayer, done I believe on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah every year.
It means "God give it (meaning the world) over on this night". It's been the source of many anti-semitic comments throughout history, and it's basically the Jews asking God to give the world over to his/their values on that night. The prayer is not translated exactly, but the alliteration is there, matching it exactly.
The Day the Earth Stood Still also comes from Jewish tradition as being the day of Yom Kippur or else rosh Hashanah, the day the sacrifice was offered to God and time took a brief hiatus elsewhere. After WW2, this movie is essentially demonstrating post-holocaust what would happen in world dominated by violence-destruction of the world! It borrows from this prayer to bring in this idea of universal values and ushering in a new era of peace, like the prayer ushers in a new year.
It's listed in this book, alliterated finally, so you can read it and do it.
The one I used I got from a public library, it was an earlier edition.
—Preceding unsigned comment added by Beli Mawr ( talk • contribs) 23:16, 13 April 2008
I've reverted repeated attempts at drive-by tagging. Please use the talk page to explain why you are unable to either work on this article to improve it, or why you think the specific tag deserves to be in this article. If you can't defend the use of your chosen tag here, please do not continue to edit-war it into the article. Use the talk page to discuss your edits. Viriditas ( talk) 02:09, 19 April 2008 (UTC)
Yet another drive-by tagging for notability. The tagger hasn't even been involved in the discussion. I reverted it only because of this.-- Thx1138az ( talk) 01:41, 13 March 2009 (UTC)
Why are they all necessary? Would this article suffer if they were cut down? Alastairward ( talk) 17:55, 11 January 2009 (UTC)
While I did not personally object to the removal of the list of references, following this with the effective removal of the entire article (replacing it with a redirect) and by the same person is excessive (it may also raise concern that the original list removal had the hidden agenda of replacement with a redirect, but I will assume good faith on that).
The removed list of references was indeed so badly constructed so as to be unfixable, but it does not mean that some list should not be there. Some references, the "milestones", should be put back in an orderly manner, but I do agree that a total reboot may be better then trying to work with the original.
However, the article should exist independently. The phrase has taken a life of its own since the original inception, and has been used extensively both with and without connection to its role in the movie. Just like fnord. Eldar ( talk) 23:13, 26 February 2009 (UTC)
I will go about trying to sort out the more important occurrences within the next few days, if I (or another) will not be able to do it then I'll concede Eldar ( talk) 03:27, 27 February 2009 (UTC)
I must say I could not confirm the two items that would be the most notable, X-Files and Close Encounters (I saw them only on one blog entry). The Army of Darkness appearance does have notability because some other appearances relate to it rather than to the original movie, I will put a passage about it. I must indeed concede that the case for this article is becoming weaker, however I would prefer if some more discussion is heard before a merge is done, especially in light of the its previous AfD discussion where this has been discussed (including by some of the currently involved editors). Eldar ( talk) 23:43, 1 March 2009 (UTC)
I just brought back a selection of five appearances. I am not sure those are the most notable five but I believe they are a good approximation thereof. Should the article remain unmerged, I believe that five appearances is about the right number. Eldar ( talk) 23:32, 4 March 2009 (UTC)
IMDb is generally not appropriate for use a source for content. Please do not keep adding it. Viriditas ( talk) 02:09, 13 March 2009 (UTC)
We may talk in this article about the about:robots
page in
Mozilla Firefox: the HTML title of this page is "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!".
Delhovlyn (
talk)
21:00, 4 March 2009 (UTC)
Dunno why someone removed the pop culture reference to RF - as an exceptionally successful TV show that is still in syndication, I would have thought that the reference made would trump an easter egg that most people would not have seen. However, I understand that many shows reference the line - not quite sure why they all can't be succintly referenced if someone feels like adding the reference. The great thing about Wikipedia is that it allows for that kind of depth; the bad thing about Wikipedia is that it often seems that certain people/editors(?) think it is the 1911 Ency. Brit. and get a bit weird. Why not err on the side of over-inclusion? Whats the problem? 99.240.139.189 ( talk) 06:54, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
I'd like to work with a group of editors to substantially improve this article and also to discuss proposed changes. I am listing the proposed changes as subsections of this comment. I would like to get as much input as I can before working on the article. I would also like to invite any editors that would like to help.
Although I have ideas for improving the article, I am not good at prose. I can put up a basic outline of something but would encourage others to tweak, reword or completely rewrite any of the information I add.
This article is already written in sections so I propose dividing it in to the four sections listed below. Anybody agree, disagree or have opinions? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:03, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
This seems to be the biggest thing missing from this article. It would describe the events that happened before the phrase was spoken and afterwards. This would put the phrase in to context and allow the reader to judge what it meant. I'd also like to add an "official" spelling and an image of the script showing the spelling to answer the varada/barada debate. What do you think? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:07, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
This would have the interpretations by others that have been printed and would include the Aeon J. Skoble stuff. It would also include information from the Fantasic Films article mentioned above by User:R.G.. The entire article is about the alien language used in the film and probably the best notability reference for this article.
I'd also like to add the documentary "Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor" as it discusses the phrase with several people closely related to the film and others. Comments? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:11, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
The movie remake info would be here. Again, this would discuss the phrase's use in the 2008 movie and provide the context for its use. Any opinions on this? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:12, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
I'll admit up front that I'm not a fan of "In popular culture" sections - BUT - after reading through all the comments I can see how it's important for this article. However, per WP:IPC, bulleted lists should be avoided. These nuggets of information should be grouped together in some fashion and incorporated in to a paragraph related to the phrase. What do you think? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:14, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
I'd like to rewrite parts of the article, over the next few days, so that it flows better. I'd like others to review the changes to make certain I haven't changed any of the meanings of the information. Also, some of the references are not in the standard laid out in WP:CT so I propose updating them. Any concerns regarding this change? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 13:13, 18 July 2010 (UTC)
Updated the citations for the movies Tron and Toys. Changed these to the standard cite video template. I must say these 2 references are rather dubous in my opinion, but I shall let others determine their value. I'm just updating to the proper format. - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 16:56, 19 July 2010 (UTC)
For the most part, I am finished improving this article. I may make a few more minor changes but most of the work is completed. I will be submitting this article for reassesment in the near future, but wanted to give others a chance to make modifications if they like. All editors are encouraged to participate. - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 09:50, 27 July 2010 (UTC)
I am having second thoughts about the In popular culture section of this article. I absolutely agree with others that this is an important part of this article. But I am wondering if having this section titled "In popular culture" may possibly atract additional non-notable items.
This section already has a comment / notice that states <!-- This is not intended to be a full list, please add only the most notable examples --> but I'm wondering if that is enough. In reviewing
Wikipedia:"In popular culture" content, I am considering if a template should be added to this section. Maybe one of the following:
Template:In popular culture
Template:Cleanup-laundry
Template:Example farm
Template:Cleanup-list
Or, perhaps the section should be labelled something else like Notable homages or Notable uses in other contexts. If anybody has opinions about this, please mention them here. Thanks. - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 20:01, 27 July 2010 (UTC)
Isn't that the same sentence Ash reads from the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis? That's pop culture for you! Monstrim ( talk) 00:33, 19 October 2010 (UTC)
where is any reference to the BAND here?! it should be the #1 entry in any "cultural references" section!! 209.172.25.243 ( talk) 04:22, 10 September 2013 (UTC)
Hi: 'Klaatu' is obviously the name of the character in the movie: 'The day the earth stood still', the credit titles section of movie point they had an advisor about Sanskrit language. 'Barada', may equal the: 'Bharata', in: 'Mahabharata', there: 'Maha', would mean: 'big', 'great', as in: 'Mahatma', 'the big spirit', 'the big soul', title given to Gandhi, 'Baratha' in Sanskrit may mean: 'Actor', but 'Barada', could be also a cognate to 'Parade', as 'trip', 'performance', even: 'life'. 'Nikto', or 'Nicto', is cognate to: 'Night', meaning: 'darkness', but also: 'the end', 'the conclusion', or even 'death', in the moment of movie the phrase: 'Klaatu barada nikto' is put, Klaatu is already dead, gone, so, this interpretation linked to Sanskrit language may make some sense. 'Si non e vero, e ben trovato' (If it isn't true, it's a good invention')-- Jgrosay~enwiki ( talk) 17:37, 25 April 2015 (UTC)
Hi Guys, not really a wiki-user, and even less of an editor. As long as I didn't mishear, the phrase is also used in "Two and a half men" episode 1x22 ("My doctor has a cow puppet") at 1:11 by sleepwalking Alan. Could someone add that, please? Greetz, Pip — Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.93.49.96 ( talk) 14:04, 28 May 2015 (UTC)
As if to any Indo-European speaker 'Klaatu barada nikto' would not either parse as "Klaatu berates: nought do" or "Klaatu berates: not to".— Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.108.27.26 ( talk • contribs) 12:20, 1 April 2016 (UTC)
Recent edits have brought this section to my attention. I just realized that the entire "In popular culture" section was removed some months ago, with this edit. I'm thinking that, for this article, it's reasonable to include in that section anything with a reliable reference. So to get the ball rolling, I'm going to put back the entries that were removed but that had references. What do other editors think? For this article, is it reasonable to include what might end up being many "In popular culture" entries, as long as each one has its own reference? I say yes. — Mudwater ( Talk) 00:05, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
Okay, I put 'em back, here. What does everybody think? Is this a reasonable approach? — Mudwater ( Talk) 00:12, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
Another reference in the TV show "The Flash", season 5, episode 9, at 14:50 seconds from the end 184.146.76.134 ( talk) 04:52, 16 April 2019 (UTC)
In Scary Movie V, this phrase is used and appears in its original spelling in a section parodying the Army of Darkness use. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.128.71.163 ( talk) 03:58, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
One person's popular culture is another person's "I've never heard of it!" so I'm hesitant to add this, but
In Mothership [1] by John Brosnan, Alucia dismisses a dragon by shouting "Klaatu barada nikto!" at it. She says it means "piss off!" in Old Holywood and was an Elite joke. HaydonBerrow ( talk) 10:40, 18 November 2020 (UTC)
The phrase was used as one of the passwords in the Room of the Secret Password (a room used in the second and third seasons of Legends of the Hidden Temple). Should we note this?
Alec Borden ( talk) 15:51, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
In the 1987 series of Teenage Mutant Minja Turtles, season 3 episode 26, "Invasion of the Turtle Snatchers". A family of aliens are named Klaatu, Barada and Nikto. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2405:7F00:B803:3900:2420:AD6A:875D:65CA ( talk) 03:17, 15 December 2018 (UTC)
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion:
You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. — Community Tech bot ( talk) 00:21, 16 March 2020 (UTC)
I propose adding Tron to the "Popular culture references" section of the article. Something like this: In the 1982 movie Tron, a sign posted on Alan Bradley's cubicle says, "Gort Klaatu Barada Nikto". [1] It's been added to, and removed from, the article numerous times, but there's no special reason to omit it. It's relevant to the article -- which is itself about an item of popular culture -- and non-trivial. The IMDb reference substantiates that it's in the movie, which is not being disputed anyway.
References
— Mudwater ( Talk) 01:55, 29 January 2021 (UTC)
If you look at the history of this article, it's very impressive to see how many times the Tron popular culture reference has been added. Yes, the editors who have thought it should be part of the article, and took action in that regard, are indeed multitudinous! It's almost as if it would be better to include it in the article. Just my two cents. — Mudwater ( Talk) 22:10, 22 March 2021 (UTC)
Really like the interpretation attributed to the screenwriter who came up with this iconic catch phrase, "There's hope for Earth, if the scientists can be reached." This fits very well with the original short story where Gort (or Gnut as he appears there) is really Klaatu's "master" and not the other way around (Indeed, even in the movie, Klaatu explains that the "race of robots," including Gort, act independently as essentially combined intersteller policemen/judges/executioners to stop violence). Thus, Klaatu is, via Mrs. Benson, simply filing his report to his superior on what he has learned, and Gort is in charge of the response - apparently deciding to go fetch his subordinate's body, revive him, and let him tell the scientists about Earth's options (or lack thereof). Clever.
Maybe someone with better wikiskills than me could add the reference to this line in TRON (1982) where it appears on the wall of character Alan’s (Bruce Boxleitner) office cubicle. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.72.83.142 ( talk) 10:10, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
The phrase was also used in an episode of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman", spoken by Perry, making fun of Lois after she said she was abducted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.216.152.32 ( talk) 20:26, August 28, 2007 (UTC)
The phrase was also used in an episode of Animaniacs involving the Hip Hippoes.
The phrase is also used in the 1998 PC game Fallout 2. The malfunctioning Mr. Handy in Klamath uses "Gort! Klaatu Barada Nikto" as a combat taunt. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.243.4.27 ( talk • contribs) 06:26, 9 July 2005
Sacrifice (computer game) also uses this phrase during spell casting by the main character... I think.-- 219.77.140.77 07:26, 17 February 2007 (UTC) ___
I disagree with the suggested interpretation of _barada_. Clearly in the film, Gort had sensed the demise of Klaatu and started the process of releasing himself from the encapulating resin, before the woman arrives to deliver the message. It seems to me that telling Gort that Klaatu is dead would only confirm the situation and the necessity for Gort's destructive sequence.
I think a better translation for _barada_ might be closer to "dead" or "wanting to be dead", giving the full translation as "Klaatu does not want to be dead". Alternatively, _barada_ might suggest completeness, so the phrase could then be rendered as "Klaatu (or his mission) is incomplete". In either case, Gort would then be moved to revive Klaatu in order that the mission should continue. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.86.19.189 ( talk • contribs) 04:06, 11 July 2005
How many copies and revisions of "the script" existed? One copy says "barada" so that's official. But every time the word is used in the movie, it's pronounced "varada." 74.104.189.176 ( talk) 19:30, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
Suppose there were a brand of cookie that came in two flavors, vanilla and banana. And a TV commercial said as much, "vanilla and banana." Would you hear "banilla and banana"? Or "vanilla and vanana"? No, I believe each would sound different, as they are supposed to. The script and the movie differ. Why is that so hard to believe?
74.104.189.176 (
talk)
23:32, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
In Sonic 2 Jim Carey’s character (Eggman) utters the phrase ‘Klaatu barada nikto’ before charging to an open portal from the Mushroom planet. 2601:201:C101:9130:C989:9A7B:EE34:61ED ( talk) 22:34, 7 June 2022 (UTC)
The phrase is posted in Alan’s cubicle wall in the original movie Tron. 27 min. 21 seconds into the movie as shown on Disney Plus. 125.196.144.123 ( talk) 12:42, 20 June 2022 (UTC)
Just found out Firefox now seems to be referencing it too. At least on Firefox 103.0b1, there's a special page available at about:robots, where the tab title's set to "Gort! Klaatu barada Nikto!". Jkhon0 ( talk) 16:24, 28 June 2022 (UTC)
I’m surprised no one has ever noted this. Nikto means no one in Russian. I interpret the phrase as something like “harm no one.” Alexandermoir ( talk) 06:04, 14 July 2022 (UTC)
Damn. The title autocorrected. Not Nikita! NIKTO! Alexandermoir ( talk) 06:04, 14 July 2022 (UTC)
In the movie, Bruce Campbell(sp?) character Ash is told the “magic words” Klaatu Verata Nickto to safely retrieve the Necronomicon. He forgets the last word, instead listing off other words (necktie, nectar, nickle) then fakes saying the proper word by coughing, which raises the dead and starts a war between the living and the deadites.
The phrase isn’t exactly the same, but since the original phrase eases Klaatu back to life, and the wrong phrase raises the Evil Dead,
would this not be a similar enough reference to warrant adding to the pop culture heading? 2607:FEA8:501:CCB0:55FF:A608:1CB4:C2C0 ( talk) 05:05, 20 July 2022 (UTC)
Donatello and rocksteady get beamed up by three aliens by the name of Klaatu, Barada Nikto. 70.230.122.208 ( talk) 02:05, 3 September 2022 (UTC)
Presumably, I'd need a reference to support that (or can I just use a screen-grab?). What would be suitable? Bruce Mardle ( talk) 09:55, 27 November 2022 (UTC)
Sam Raimi’s film, “Army of Darkness” should be included. Ash, the main character, misspeaks the line while attempting to obtain the Necronomicon and unleashes the Evil Dead. 2600:6C5E:537F:7958:64A2:3811:1E65:DAE5 ( talk) 16:35, 14 February 2023 (UTC)
The phrase is found in the movie Tron on he cubical wall of character Alan Bradley. 8.48.114.20 ( talk) 01:49, 26 February 2023 (UTC)
In the film Tron (1982) The frase "gort klaatu barada nikto" was written in the office of Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner is the actor) when Flynn, Lora and Alan brak in the Encom. You can se at about the minute 24:14 of the film. EnricoRotelli ( talk) 18:59, 1 May 2023 (UTC)
The phrase can be see hanging in one of the cubicles of the programmers in Tron. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Boku754 ( talk • contribs) 19:41, 22 December 2023 (UTC)
![]() | This page is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page. |
One thing people are missing is according to the short story upon which the original movie was based, and by extension the remake, Klaatu was a servant while Gort and the robots are the masters. The phrase, then, wouldn't be a command but rather a request. Perhaps something like "Klaatu asks you to refrain". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.198.53.164 ( talk) 20:09, 14 January 2011 (UTC)
There is no known translation for the phrase, although the word "Klaatu" would seem to refer to the name of the humanoid alien. One popular, though officially unconfirmed, translation has the word "barada" meaning "alive" and the word "nikto" meaning "not" (by comparison with the Latin nix)
Can anybody confirm or disprove that the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" is in Esperanto. I kind of doubt it, but a lot of people seem to think that's the case. There probably should be some clarification of that issue on the page itself. Peter G Werner 19:33, 10 March 2006 (UTC)
Sorry, I find this page accidentally... That is, I don't know anything about subject. However, I can say, that nikto is reading (and writing, if you use cyrillic analogues for letters) as russian word никто. It means "nobody", or "no one". Dendr 09:07, 3 May 2006 (UTC)
There's a grammatical problem: nikto is nominative (nikogó, pronounced nikovó, would be the accusative form). If indeed it's supposed to mean "no one" it has to be in the accusative. I've always assumed it meant "Klaatu [says, or as an authenticator] 'harm no one'". Which brings us to barada (or varada, as some suggest). The closest Russian word meaning "hurt" is "vredit'", but the spelling does not support its usage this way.
Bottom line: it can't be Russian, but it could be a related language Gwgoldb ( talk) 16:08, 11 December 2008 (UTC)
I saw the end of the film again today and the 2nd word definitely being with a "B" Gwgoldb ( talk) 02:02, 13 December 2008 (UTC)
"Борода́ — никто́!" /bərɐˈda nʲɪkˈto/ (literally "Beard is nobody!") could be a Russian (somewhat rude) phrase diminishing the significance of a person nicknamed "Борода" ("Beard") :-) -- Djadjko ( talk) 02:07, 19 December 2015 (UTC)
i'm watching the movie right now & it's definately verada.
watch the movie...every time the phrase is said, it is VARADA with a V...try it and be amazed! 2601:18E:C501:E4F3:7ACA:39FF:FEB2:EFCB ( talk) 00:15, 13 August 2017 (UTC)
There are extant copies of the screenplay, and the phrase is in it. "Klaatu barada nikto." 25 September 2019
doesn't matter...what's written in the script is not what they say...in 1962 i saw the movie on TV and wrote in my diary "clatoo varada nicto"... 71.162.113.226 ( talk) 18:19, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
Does anybody have a copy of the movie from which they can post a sound clip of Klaatu (or Helen, for that matter) speaking the phrase? I think it would add substantially to the article. -- Leapfrog314 03:22, 23 May 2006 (UTC)
I believe that it is "borata" and the phrase is an anagram for " u talk at a robot kin"
The given translation I've found in several places is "Kill them not for they know not what they do." Whatever the phrase is it needs to be consistant with the events of the film. It is possible 'Klaatu' has a dual meaning. 'Black' for example can be a name or a colour.-- ANTIcarrot 14:44, 22 July 2006 (UTC)
Re: "References in popular culture" Rock band "Klaatu" of "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" fame (well, it was made famous by the Carpenter's version)--they do have their own wikipedia entry, but might be included on this page as one of the earlier appearances of the word in pop culture.
Actually,as stated on the first issue of Fantastic Films,the phrase is translated as "I die,repair me,do not retaliate." - R.G. ( talk) 08:09, 18 December 2008 (UTC)
=> I always understood is as a last resort shutdown code. Klaatu likely anticipated being killed beyond "repair", so this message would not necessarily have made Gort stop. However, saying, in his native language, "Klaatu said 'stop'" makes perfect sense. Magicmulder ( talk) 12:48, 4 March 2016 (UTC)
Agreeing with AntiCarrot above, it is not a translation, but it is a clear statement of the gravamen of the phrase, to render it as "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani."
In the original short story Klaatu has no control over Gort. Gort is one of many robots the people of galaxy made to protect them from thenselves. If any planet is a threat to galaric peace Gor will act and Klaatu can't stop Gort. "Klaatu barada nikto" is therefore a request, not a command. 40.131.183.93 ( talk) 19:13, 6 August 2018 (UTC)
isn't it in back to the future when he is scaring his father in a darth vader outfit —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.176.172.119 ( talk) 07:03, 15 May 2007 (UTC).
I got to meet RW in Anahiem in 1984 and he said John Carpenter was Jesus and JC was a Messiah or Saviour.
He told me "Klaatu barada nikto" meant Klaatu needs help.
Supercool Dude 19:21, 11 June 2007 (UTC)
Since the Galaxy Quest reference is only a reference to "Klaatu" and not the whole phrase "Klaatu barada nikto", perhaps it belongs on the Klaatu page instead of this one? DH85868993 14:26, 23 July 2007 (UTC)
This is my first post, so please excuse my stupidity in posting.
In 1992, burned out from the stupidity of the Navigator Xian group, I attempted or started converting to Judaism. While attempting to understand this religion, I read in this book the alliteration of this prayer, done I believe on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah every year.
It means "God give it (meaning the world) over on this night". It's been the source of many anti-semitic comments throughout history, and it's basically the Jews asking God to give the world over to his/their values on that night. The prayer is not translated exactly, but the alliteration is there, matching it exactly.
The Day the Earth Stood Still also comes from Jewish tradition as being the day of Yom Kippur or else rosh Hashanah, the day the sacrifice was offered to God and time took a brief hiatus elsewhere. After WW2, this movie is essentially demonstrating post-holocaust what would happen in world dominated by violence-destruction of the world! It borrows from this prayer to bring in this idea of universal values and ushering in a new era of peace, like the prayer ushers in a new year.
It's listed in this book, alliterated finally, so you can read it and do it.
The one I used I got from a public library, it was an earlier edition.
—Preceding unsigned comment added by Beli Mawr ( talk • contribs) 23:16, 13 April 2008
I've reverted repeated attempts at drive-by tagging. Please use the talk page to explain why you are unable to either work on this article to improve it, or why you think the specific tag deserves to be in this article. If you can't defend the use of your chosen tag here, please do not continue to edit-war it into the article. Use the talk page to discuss your edits. Viriditas ( talk) 02:09, 19 April 2008 (UTC)
Yet another drive-by tagging for notability. The tagger hasn't even been involved in the discussion. I reverted it only because of this.-- Thx1138az ( talk) 01:41, 13 March 2009 (UTC)
Why are they all necessary? Would this article suffer if they were cut down? Alastairward ( talk) 17:55, 11 January 2009 (UTC)
While I did not personally object to the removal of the list of references, following this with the effective removal of the entire article (replacing it with a redirect) and by the same person is excessive (it may also raise concern that the original list removal had the hidden agenda of replacement with a redirect, but I will assume good faith on that).
The removed list of references was indeed so badly constructed so as to be unfixable, but it does not mean that some list should not be there. Some references, the "milestones", should be put back in an orderly manner, but I do agree that a total reboot may be better then trying to work with the original.
However, the article should exist independently. The phrase has taken a life of its own since the original inception, and has been used extensively both with and without connection to its role in the movie. Just like fnord. Eldar ( talk) 23:13, 26 February 2009 (UTC)
I will go about trying to sort out the more important occurrences within the next few days, if I (or another) will not be able to do it then I'll concede Eldar ( talk) 03:27, 27 February 2009 (UTC)
I must say I could not confirm the two items that would be the most notable, X-Files and Close Encounters (I saw them only on one blog entry). The Army of Darkness appearance does have notability because some other appearances relate to it rather than to the original movie, I will put a passage about it. I must indeed concede that the case for this article is becoming weaker, however I would prefer if some more discussion is heard before a merge is done, especially in light of the its previous AfD discussion where this has been discussed (including by some of the currently involved editors). Eldar ( talk) 23:43, 1 March 2009 (UTC)
I just brought back a selection of five appearances. I am not sure those are the most notable five but I believe they are a good approximation thereof. Should the article remain unmerged, I believe that five appearances is about the right number. Eldar ( talk) 23:32, 4 March 2009 (UTC)
IMDb is generally not appropriate for use a source for content. Please do not keep adding it. Viriditas ( talk) 02:09, 13 March 2009 (UTC)
We may talk in this article about the about:robots
page in
Mozilla Firefox: the HTML title of this page is "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!".
Delhovlyn (
talk)
21:00, 4 March 2009 (UTC)
Dunno why someone removed the pop culture reference to RF - as an exceptionally successful TV show that is still in syndication, I would have thought that the reference made would trump an easter egg that most people would not have seen. However, I understand that many shows reference the line - not quite sure why they all can't be succintly referenced if someone feels like adding the reference. The great thing about Wikipedia is that it allows for that kind of depth; the bad thing about Wikipedia is that it often seems that certain people/editors(?) think it is the 1911 Ency. Brit. and get a bit weird. Why not err on the side of over-inclusion? Whats the problem? 99.240.139.189 ( talk) 06:54, 30 June 2009 (UTC)
I'd like to work with a group of editors to substantially improve this article and also to discuss proposed changes. I am listing the proposed changes as subsections of this comment. I would like to get as much input as I can before working on the article. I would also like to invite any editors that would like to help.
Although I have ideas for improving the article, I am not good at prose. I can put up a basic outline of something but would encourage others to tweak, reword or completely rewrite any of the information I add.
This article is already written in sections so I propose dividing it in to the four sections listed below. Anybody agree, disagree or have opinions? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:03, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
This seems to be the biggest thing missing from this article. It would describe the events that happened before the phrase was spoken and afterwards. This would put the phrase in to context and allow the reader to judge what it meant. I'd also like to add an "official" spelling and an image of the script showing the spelling to answer the varada/barada debate. What do you think? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:07, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
This would have the interpretations by others that have been printed and would include the Aeon J. Skoble stuff. It would also include information from the Fantasic Films article mentioned above by User:R.G.. The entire article is about the alien language used in the film and probably the best notability reference for this article.
I'd also like to add the documentary "Decoding "Klaatu Barada Nikto": Science Fiction as Metaphor" as it discusses the phrase with several people closely related to the film and others. Comments? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:11, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
The movie remake info would be here. Again, this would discuss the phrase's use in the 2008 movie and provide the context for its use. Any opinions on this? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:12, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
I'll admit up front that I'm not a fan of "In popular culture" sections - BUT - after reading through all the comments I can see how it's important for this article. However, per WP:IPC, bulleted lists should be avoided. These nuggets of information should be grouped together in some fashion and incorporated in to a paragraph related to the phrase. What do you think? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 14:14, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
I'd like to rewrite parts of the article, over the next few days, so that it flows better. I'd like others to review the changes to make certain I haven't changed any of the meanings of the information. Also, some of the references are not in the standard laid out in WP:CT so I propose updating them. Any concerns regarding this change? - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 13:13, 18 July 2010 (UTC)
Updated the citations for the movies Tron and Toys. Changed these to the standard cite video template. I must say these 2 references are rather dubous in my opinion, but I shall let others determine their value. I'm just updating to the proper format. - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 16:56, 19 July 2010 (UTC)
For the most part, I am finished improving this article. I may make a few more minor changes but most of the work is completed. I will be submitting this article for reassesment in the near future, but wanted to give others a chance to make modifications if they like. All editors are encouraged to participate. - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 09:50, 27 July 2010 (UTC)
I am having second thoughts about the In popular culture section of this article. I absolutely agree with others that this is an important part of this article. But I am wondering if having this section titled "In popular culture" may possibly atract additional non-notable items.
This section already has a comment / notice that states <!-- This is not intended to be a full list, please add only the most notable examples --> but I'm wondering if that is enough. In reviewing
Wikipedia:"In popular culture" content, I am considering if a template should be added to this section. Maybe one of the following:
Template:In popular culture
Template:Cleanup-laundry
Template:Example farm
Template:Cleanup-list
Or, perhaps the section should be labelled something else like Notable homages or Notable uses in other contexts. If anybody has opinions about this, please mention them here. Thanks. - Hydroxonium ( talk | contribs) 20:01, 27 July 2010 (UTC)
Isn't that the same sentence Ash reads from the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis? That's pop culture for you! Monstrim ( talk) 00:33, 19 October 2010 (UTC)
where is any reference to the BAND here?! it should be the #1 entry in any "cultural references" section!! 209.172.25.243 ( talk) 04:22, 10 September 2013 (UTC)
Hi: 'Klaatu' is obviously the name of the character in the movie: 'The day the earth stood still', the credit titles section of movie point they had an advisor about Sanskrit language. 'Barada', may equal the: 'Bharata', in: 'Mahabharata', there: 'Maha', would mean: 'big', 'great', as in: 'Mahatma', 'the big spirit', 'the big soul', title given to Gandhi, 'Baratha' in Sanskrit may mean: 'Actor', but 'Barada', could be also a cognate to 'Parade', as 'trip', 'performance', even: 'life'. 'Nikto', or 'Nicto', is cognate to: 'Night', meaning: 'darkness', but also: 'the end', 'the conclusion', or even 'death', in the moment of movie the phrase: 'Klaatu barada nikto' is put, Klaatu is already dead, gone, so, this interpretation linked to Sanskrit language may make some sense. 'Si non e vero, e ben trovato' (If it isn't true, it's a good invention')-- Jgrosay~enwiki ( talk) 17:37, 25 April 2015 (UTC)
Hi Guys, not really a wiki-user, and even less of an editor. As long as I didn't mishear, the phrase is also used in "Two and a half men" episode 1x22 ("My doctor has a cow puppet") at 1:11 by sleepwalking Alan. Could someone add that, please? Greetz, Pip — Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.93.49.96 ( talk) 14:04, 28 May 2015 (UTC)
As if to any Indo-European speaker 'Klaatu barada nikto' would not either parse as "Klaatu berates: nought do" or "Klaatu berates: not to".— Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.108.27.26 ( talk • contribs) 12:20, 1 April 2016 (UTC)
Recent edits have brought this section to my attention. I just realized that the entire "In popular culture" section was removed some months ago, with this edit. I'm thinking that, for this article, it's reasonable to include in that section anything with a reliable reference. So to get the ball rolling, I'm going to put back the entries that were removed but that had references. What do other editors think? For this article, is it reasonable to include what might end up being many "In popular culture" entries, as long as each one has its own reference? I say yes. — Mudwater ( Talk) 00:05, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
Okay, I put 'em back, here. What does everybody think? Is this a reasonable approach? — Mudwater ( Talk) 00:12, 15 January 2018 (UTC)
Another reference in the TV show "The Flash", season 5, episode 9, at 14:50 seconds from the end 184.146.76.134 ( talk) 04:52, 16 April 2019 (UTC)
In Scary Movie V, this phrase is used and appears in its original spelling in a section parodying the Army of Darkness use. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.128.71.163 ( talk) 03:58, 1 November 2020 (UTC)
One person's popular culture is another person's "I've never heard of it!" so I'm hesitant to add this, but
In Mothership [1] by John Brosnan, Alucia dismisses a dragon by shouting "Klaatu barada nikto!" at it. She says it means "piss off!" in Old Holywood and was an Elite joke. HaydonBerrow ( talk) 10:40, 18 November 2020 (UTC)
The phrase was used as one of the passwords in the Room of the Secret Password (a room used in the second and third seasons of Legends of the Hidden Temple). Should we note this?
Alec Borden ( talk) 15:51, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
In the 1987 series of Teenage Mutant Minja Turtles, season 3 episode 26, "Invasion of the Turtle Snatchers". A family of aliens are named Klaatu, Barada and Nikto. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2405:7F00:B803:3900:2420:AD6A:875D:65CA ( talk) 03:17, 15 December 2018 (UTC)
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion:
You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. — Community Tech bot ( talk) 00:21, 16 March 2020 (UTC)
I propose adding Tron to the "Popular culture references" section of the article. Something like this: In the 1982 movie Tron, a sign posted on Alan Bradley's cubicle says, "Gort Klaatu Barada Nikto". [1] It's been added to, and removed from, the article numerous times, but there's no special reason to omit it. It's relevant to the article -- which is itself about an item of popular culture -- and non-trivial. The IMDb reference substantiates that it's in the movie, which is not being disputed anyway.
References
— Mudwater ( Talk) 01:55, 29 January 2021 (UTC)
If you look at the history of this article, it's very impressive to see how many times the Tron popular culture reference has been added. Yes, the editors who have thought it should be part of the article, and took action in that regard, are indeed multitudinous! It's almost as if it would be better to include it in the article. Just my two cents. — Mudwater ( Talk) 22:10, 22 March 2021 (UTC)
Really like the interpretation attributed to the screenwriter who came up with this iconic catch phrase, "There's hope for Earth, if the scientists can be reached." This fits very well with the original short story where Gort (or Gnut as he appears there) is really Klaatu's "master" and not the other way around (Indeed, even in the movie, Klaatu explains that the "race of robots," including Gort, act independently as essentially combined intersteller policemen/judges/executioners to stop violence). Thus, Klaatu is, via Mrs. Benson, simply filing his report to his superior on what he has learned, and Gort is in charge of the response - apparently deciding to go fetch his subordinate's body, revive him, and let him tell the scientists about Earth's options (or lack thereof). Clever.
Maybe someone with better wikiskills than me could add the reference to this line in TRON (1982) where it appears on the wall of character Alan’s (Bruce Boxleitner) office cubicle. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.72.83.142 ( talk) 10:10, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
The phrase was also used in an episode of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman", spoken by Perry, making fun of Lois after she said she was abducted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.216.152.32 ( talk) 20:26, August 28, 2007 (UTC)
The phrase was also used in an episode of Animaniacs involving the Hip Hippoes.
The phrase is also used in the 1998 PC game Fallout 2. The malfunctioning Mr. Handy in Klamath uses "Gort! Klaatu Barada Nikto" as a combat taunt. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 4.243.4.27 ( talk • contribs) 06:26, 9 July 2005
Sacrifice (computer game) also uses this phrase during spell casting by the main character... I think.-- 219.77.140.77 07:26, 17 February 2007 (UTC) ___
I disagree with the suggested interpretation of _barada_. Clearly in the film, Gort had sensed the demise of Klaatu and started the process of releasing himself from the encapulating resin, before the woman arrives to deliver the message. It seems to me that telling Gort that Klaatu is dead would only confirm the situation and the necessity for Gort's destructive sequence.
I think a better translation for _barada_ might be closer to "dead" or "wanting to be dead", giving the full translation as "Klaatu does not want to be dead". Alternatively, _barada_ might suggest completeness, so the phrase could then be rendered as "Klaatu (or his mission) is incomplete". In either case, Gort would then be moved to revive Klaatu in order that the mission should continue. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.86.19.189 ( talk • contribs) 04:06, 11 July 2005
How many copies and revisions of "the script" existed? One copy says "barada" so that's official. But every time the word is used in the movie, it's pronounced "varada." 74.104.189.176 ( talk) 19:30, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
Suppose there were a brand of cookie that came in two flavors, vanilla and banana. And a TV commercial said as much, "vanilla and banana." Would you hear "banilla and banana"? Or "vanilla and vanana"? No, I believe each would sound different, as they are supposed to. The script and the movie differ. Why is that so hard to believe?
74.104.189.176 (
talk)
23:32, 27 January 2022 (UTC)
In Sonic 2 Jim Carey’s character (Eggman) utters the phrase ‘Klaatu barada nikto’ before charging to an open portal from the Mushroom planet. 2601:201:C101:9130:C989:9A7B:EE34:61ED ( talk) 22:34, 7 June 2022 (UTC)
The phrase is posted in Alan’s cubicle wall in the original movie Tron. 27 min. 21 seconds into the movie as shown on Disney Plus. 125.196.144.123 ( talk) 12:42, 20 June 2022 (UTC)
Just found out Firefox now seems to be referencing it too. At least on Firefox 103.0b1, there's a special page available at about:robots, where the tab title's set to "Gort! Klaatu barada Nikto!". Jkhon0 ( talk) 16:24, 28 June 2022 (UTC)
I’m surprised no one has ever noted this. Nikto means no one in Russian. I interpret the phrase as something like “harm no one.” Alexandermoir ( talk) 06:04, 14 July 2022 (UTC)
Damn. The title autocorrected. Not Nikita! NIKTO! Alexandermoir ( talk) 06:04, 14 July 2022 (UTC)
In the movie, Bruce Campbell(sp?) character Ash is told the “magic words” Klaatu Verata Nickto to safely retrieve the Necronomicon. He forgets the last word, instead listing off other words (necktie, nectar, nickle) then fakes saying the proper word by coughing, which raises the dead and starts a war between the living and the deadites.
The phrase isn’t exactly the same, but since the original phrase eases Klaatu back to life, and the wrong phrase raises the Evil Dead,
would this not be a similar enough reference to warrant adding to the pop culture heading? 2607:FEA8:501:CCB0:55FF:A608:1CB4:C2C0 ( talk) 05:05, 20 July 2022 (UTC)
Donatello and rocksteady get beamed up by three aliens by the name of Klaatu, Barada Nikto. 70.230.122.208 ( talk) 02:05, 3 September 2022 (UTC)
Presumably, I'd need a reference to support that (or can I just use a screen-grab?). What would be suitable? Bruce Mardle ( talk) 09:55, 27 November 2022 (UTC)
Sam Raimi’s film, “Army of Darkness” should be included. Ash, the main character, misspeaks the line while attempting to obtain the Necronomicon and unleashes the Evil Dead. 2600:6C5E:537F:7958:64A2:3811:1E65:DAE5 ( talk) 16:35, 14 February 2023 (UTC)
The phrase is found in the movie Tron on he cubical wall of character Alan Bradley. 8.48.114.20 ( talk) 01:49, 26 February 2023 (UTC)
In the film Tron (1982) The frase "gort klaatu barada nikto" was written in the office of Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner is the actor) when Flynn, Lora and Alan brak in the Encom. You can se at about the minute 24:14 of the film. EnricoRotelli ( talk) 18:59, 1 May 2023 (UTC)
The phrase can be see hanging in one of the cubicles of the programmers in Tron. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Boku754 ( talk • contribs) 19:41, 22 December 2023 (UTC)