Charles Barbier | |
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| Born | 18 May 1767 |
| Died | 22 April 1841 (aged 73) Paris |
| Occupation | Inventor |
Charles Barbier de la Serre (18 May 1767 – 22 April 1841) was the French inventor of several forms of shorthand and alternative means of writing, one of which became the inspiration for Braille.
Barbier was born in Valenciennes and served in the French artillery from 1784 to 1792. He left France during the Revolution and lived for several years in the United States, returning to France during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. He did not rejoin the military.[1]
Barbier was interested in shorthand[2] and other alternative writing forms. In 1815, he published a book titled, Essai sur divers procédés d'expéditive française.[3] In this book, Barbier explains that conventional writing is a barrier to universal literacy because it takes too long to learn, and people who must earn their living (farmers, artisans) cannot devote the necessary time to education. Barbier was also concerned about the barriers to literacy faced by people with visual or hearing impairments.
- ^ A copy of Barbier's military record can be viewed at the Louis Braille Museum in Coupvray, France.
- ^ Barbier, Charles (1809). Principes d'expéditive française pour écriture aussi vite que la parole (in French). imprimerie de Gillé fils.
- ^ The entire book, with illustrations, can be viewed online. Barbier, Charles (1815). "Essai sur Divers Procédés D'Expéditive Française, Contenant douze écritures différentes, avec une Planche pour chaque procédé" – via Google Books.