live
adjective
5. (informal) full of life and energy
Source: Collins Dictionary – definition of "live"
For the meaning above, which of the following usages is correct? Which one would you use?
- A live person
- An alive person
I think "live" is for plants, animals or things where their life is not noticeable.
Answer
“A live person” — a person who is not dead. The only situation I can think of where this would occur is by contrast to a dead person or in a simile comparing an inanimate object, probably with emphasis — “(like) a live person”. For example “The puppet moved like a live person” sounds OK to me.
“An alive person” — as a native speaker, I don't believe I have ever heard the sequence of words “an alive person”; it feels extremely clumsy in my mouth. You would never use the adjective “alive” like that. It would always come at the end “that person is alive”.
I think "live" is for plants, animals or things where their life is not noticeable.
There are distinctions between the two words, for sure, but this isn't one that makes any sense to me whatsoever (as a native speaker).
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