Paul E. A. Barbier

Paul Emile Auguste Barbier (1873–1947) was Professor of French at the University of Leeds 1903–38; he is noted for his work on French lexicography and his promotion of Celtic Studies.

Early and family life Paul E. A. Barbier's paternal grandfather, Georges Barbier, was a French Protestant pastor. Georges's son, Paul Eugene Emile Barbier (1846–1921), was born in France, in the Doubs Valley. In 1862, Georges migrated to London, becoming pastor of the French Protestant Church in Soho Square, taking his family with him. Georges took in Swiss women who were training as governesses; after a ten-year acquaintance, one of them, the Protestant French-Swiss Euphémie Bornet (1847–1923), married Paul E. E. Barbier in 1872. The two had eight children, including Paul E. A. Barbier.

At the time of Paul E. A. Barbier's birth, his father taught French at Manchester Grammar School while his mother ran a private school for young children called Aubonne House School for Ladies. In 1883, Paul E. E. Barbier became Professor of French at University College, Cardiff, and the family moved there. Thus as a child Paul E. A. Barbier acquired English, French, and Welsh as native languages; he also studied Latin and Ancient Greek, and acquired some knowledge of Italian and German. Like his brothers, he undertook compulsory French military service. Their children were Paul G. R. Barbier (1908–72), Marie C. C. Barbier (1909–2000), Cecile E. Barbier (1910–1995), and Albert F. Barbier (1912–?); Barbier went on to hold 'most of the principal public offices in the university', including Dean of Arts, Dean of Commerce, member of Council, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, (including during meetings of the University Senate). In 1921 he published a pamphlet on 'English Influence on the French Vocabulary' followed from 1925 by a series of 28 articles under the title 'miscellanea lexicographica' in the Literary and Historical Section of the Proceedings of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. In his commitment to encouraging Celtic Studies, Barbier followed in his father's footsteps; When in 1925 J. R. R. Tolkien left Leeds for Oxford halfway through delivering a two-year course on Middle Welsh, Barbier completed the supervision of the course's sole student, Brian Woledge.

Barbier retired in 1938, becoming professor emeritus in that year.

Honours

In 1939 Barbier was awarded an honorary LL.D. degree from the University of Edinburgh and created knight of the French Légion d'Honneur. Two years later, Leeds awarded him an honorary Litt.D. degree.