What does "Klaatu birata nikto" (from Army of Darkness) actually mean and what is its origin?

Question

I remember hearing this in “The Day the Earth Stood Still” as well as this movie and I was always curious what the word actually mean. I mean are they Latin or just fake words made up in a Sci-Fi movie. I also want to know if these words were used in anything else besides these movies, such as other movies or in recorded historical events.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" originates from the 1951 Cold-War-era science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still. The phrase "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!" was used to stop Gort, the robot in the film, from destroying the Earth.

There is no known translation for the phrase, although "Klaatu" is the name of the humanoid alien protagonist in the film, and "nikto" is Russian for "nobody / no one."
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As for references to this phrase in other films...there is not enough space...
check link below...for full listing

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaatu_bara…

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Good answer but not what i really wanted to hear, I would have liked to have heard it is some mythical saying but I guess you can't always get what you want.

Answer 2

It means "Klaatu is dead." and they are mostly likely made up words meant to sound like they could be from any of a number of languages. I've never seen a reference to it prior to "The Day the Earth Stood Still," But it has shown up in a lot of places since, including the PC RPG "Sacred," and I seem to recall Fred having to say it in a "Flintstones" Episode.

Answer 3

It's alien speak. I think it means, "Yo Gort, Klaatu says chill."

Answer 4

...if you're real quick to see, you'll see the phrase on a bumper sticker (or was it a poster?) in Bruce Boxleitner's character's office cubicle, in the 1982 movie, "Tron".

...little did the original writers of "The Day ther Earth Stood Still" know, that when they contrived these prophetic words, they were invoking something that would have such an effect on pop culture...

Answer 5

Its another phrase like......It is most gratifying that your enthusiasm for our planet continues unabated. As a token of our appreciation, we hope you will enjoy the two thermonuclear missiles we've just sent to converge with your planet. To ensure ongoing quality of service, your death may be monitored for training purposes. Thank you