# I, Robot. Where does that phrasing come from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 3, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126 "2008-07-03T00:20:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/1 "2008-07-03T00:20:01Z")
The “I” followed by a comma and a name reminds me of something but I can’t place it. The only thing that comes to mind is the Robert Graves book, _I, Claudius._ But I think there’s something else. Maybe something Shakespearean? Biblical? Any ideas? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/2 "2008-07-03T00:27:02Z")
It’s from the title of a book of [short stories](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Robot) by Isaac Asimov. ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/3 "2008-07-03T00:31:41Z")
Yes, and what inspired the book title? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/4 "2008-07-03T00:32:37Z")
It’s the standard opening to a will, isn’t it? ("I, **Simplicio** , being of sound mind and body, do leave my old gym shorts to **magellan** …etc.) I haven’t read **I, Claudius** , but I assumed that thats where the title comes from. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/5 "2008-07-03T00:39:36Z")
According to Wikipedia, “Asimov wanted to call his collection _Mind and Iron_, and initially objected when the publisher changed the title.” ETA (and crossposted with below): [This site](http://robots.net/article/2246.html) says, “I Robot was originally a title used for the 1939 Eando Binder short story about a misunderstood robot. Later, Issac Asimov’s publisher borrowed the title, much to Asimov’s dismay, for his first collection of Susan Calvin robot stories, replacing Asimov’s original title Mind and Iron.” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/6 "2008-07-03T00:40:00Z")
Asimov’s publisher [re-used the title](http://books.google.com/books?id=EWbMiyS9v98C&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54&dq=%22fuck+eando+binder%22&source=web&ots=2Y148TWf_B&sig=WA3jVjb8oUlx1YAkGT5v_FH-gWM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result) of a story by Eando Binder. I have read the Binder story, but I forget exactly how it begins. I think it’s just an old turn of phrase for beginning memoirs. I do remember that the story is told as though written by the robot, Adam Link. [Adam Link - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Link) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/7 "2008-07-03T00:41:23Z")
This thread seems better suited for Cafe Society. Moved from General Questions. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/8 "2008-07-03T05:08:03Z")
[QUOTE=magellan01] The “I” followed by a comma and a name reminds me of something but I can’t place it. The only thing that comes to mind is the Robert Graves book, _I, Claudius._ But I think there’s something else. Maybe something Shakespearean? Biblical? Any ideas? Thanks. [/QUOTE] “And I, John, saw these things, and heard them…” Rev 22:8 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/9 "2008-07-03T11:08:21Z")
Isn’t “I, XXX” just a standard declaration of who you are and your…worthiness/authority/what have you to make the statement that follows? I think of it being used in legal documents, like wills, or for official pronouncements where the speaker needs to clarify their right to make the announcement. So “I, Claudius” is something he would have sense in his capacity as Emperor - stating his leadership before speaking… “I, WordMan, being of sound mind and body…” establishes a person’s ability to write a will… So “I, Robot” is a way of getting you to realize “hey, waitaminnit - this thing considers itself a sentient being to the extent that it thinks it can make pronouncements…” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/10 "2008-07-03T11:54:21Z")
The Eando Binder story is considered something of a classic. Asimov must have known of it. It’s been filmed twice, both during the orighinal run of Outer Limits and during the 1995 season (both times with Leonard Nimoy, and the second time directed by his son) > **["The Outer Limits" I, Robot (TV Episode 1964) ⭐ 7.9 | Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0667816/)** > > 51m | TV-14 > **["The Outer Limits" I, Robot (TV Episode 1995) ⭐ 7.5 | Drama, Fantasy, Horror](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0667904/)** > > 45m | TV-PG The **I, (whatever)** tag has been used a lot, such as in **I, Mobster** : > **[I Mobster (1959) ⭐ 6.1 | Crime, Drama, Thriller](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051760/)** > > 1h 21m | Not Rated And, of course, **I, Pagliacci** 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/11 "2008-07-03T12:08:14Z")
Yes, Asimov has written in some essay that he knew of the Eando Binder story when his publisher proposed the title _I, Robot_. Asimov didn’t want to conflict with the Binder title. The publisher said that he didn’t care and went ahead and used the title. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/12 "2008-07-03T14:12:37Z")
Obligatory [Monsterpiece Theater](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSOu5C55kUA) video. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/13 "2008-07-03T14:46:54Z")
I’m still holding out hope that Candice Bergen publishes a memoir titled _I, Candy._ ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/14 "2008-07-03T15:06:14Z")
For the record, the proper pronoun to use with author Eando Binder is they: it’s the pen name used by two brothers, Elmo(? --IIRC) and Otto Binder, for their story collaborations – E.-and-O. Binder. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/15 "2008-07-03T15:15:04Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] For the record, the proper pronoun to use with author Eando Binder is they: it’s the pen name used by two brothers, Elmo(? --IIRC) and Otto Binder, for their story collaborations – E.-and-O. Binder. [/QUOTE] Did they choose Eando? or was it a later mistyping by someone else, like the infamous “Dord” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/16 "2008-07-03T15:44:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by Polycarp > For the record, the proper pronoun to use with author Eando Binder is they: it’s the pen name used by two brothers, Elmo(? --IIRC) and Otto Binder, for their story collaborations – E.-and-O. Binder. > > Did they choose Eando? or was it a later mistyping by someone else, like the infamous “Dord” It was Earl. And Earl and Otto chose “Eando” themselves > **[Eando Binder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eando_Binder)** > > Eando Binder (/ˈbɪndər/) is a pen name used by two mid-20th-century science fiction authors, Earl Andrew Binder (1904–1966) and his brother Otto Binder (1911–1974). The name is derived from their first initials (E and O Binder). Under the Eando name, the Binders wrote some published science fiction, including stories featuring a heroic robot named Adam Link. The first Adam Link story, published in 1939, is titled "I, Robot".\[citation needed\] > By 1939, Otto had taken over all of the writing, le... ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/17 "2008-07-03T16:07:20Z")
[QUOTE=Simplicio] I haven’t read **I, Claudius** , but I assumed that thats where the title comes from. [/QUOTE] Doesn’t it just mean Claudius the First? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-robot-where-does-that-phrasing-come-from/455126/18 "2008-07-03T16:13:57Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Doesn’t it just mean Claudius the First? [/QUOTE] No, it identifies that Claudius is speaking. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Claudius#Later_references) cites the title of I, Claudius as the inspiration for I, Robot, along with a number of other works with similar titles. I don’t know if that’s true. I do know that “soliloquacious” is the best word I’ve heard in some time.