1. 古希腊人很看不起外地人，说外地人讲话是 *barbar-，这是一个拟声词根，模拟小孩咿呀学语时口齿不清的声音、发音，由此表示“说话像孩子那样口齿不清”，现在演化为 barbarous "未开化的"、barbarian "野蛮人，就像咱们称呼未开化的外族人为：蛮人、夷人、胡人等"。汉语说“巴拉巴拉”时，也是一种拟声、也是一种贬义，这时英语用 blah-blah，这与汉语的拟声完全一样。
2. from PIE root *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners.
3. Originally not entirely pejorative, its sense darkened after the Persian wars. The Romans (technically themselves barbaroi) took up the word and applied it to tribes or nations which had no Greek or Roman accomplishments.
4. barbar- + -ian.

barbarian 野蛮人

barbar, 拟声词，模仿含混不清说话的声音，既指野蛮人，也指外国人。

1. Our maths teacher was a bully and a complete barbarian.

我们的数学老师是个坏蛋，一个彻头彻尾的野蛮人。

2. We need to fight this barbarian attitude to science.

我们需要与这种对待科学的野蛮态度作斗争。

3. barbarian invasions of the fifth century

五世纪时野蛮人的入侵

4. The walled city was attacked by barbarian hordes.

那座有城墙的城市遭到野蛮部落的袭击.

5. The rest of the clan thinks the uniform is only fit for a barbarian or a man of the lowest class.

家族里的其他人员认为,这样的制服只适合野蛮人或最低贱的人穿.