[astine]

Judging by this link: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=barbarian, the reasoning is based on words in other indoeuropean languages having a similar root to 'barbarian' being used to refer to stammering or incoherent speech.

[jumasheff]

The most interesting part is this: `...meaning "rude, wild person" is from 1610s.`