vivant French · revision 16494

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis (a son vivant)|origins=la vīvō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /vi.vɑ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vivant''' (feminine vivante, masculine plural vivants, feminine plural vivantes)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective and a noun, it is the present participle [[der|fr|vivre|t=to live]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007) [[vivre|alt=Vivre]] is from [[la|vīvō|t=to live]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) Wiktionary thinks it probably modelled on [[m|la|vīvēns|t=living]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The noun in “de son vivant” comes from the gerund.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The noun is first found in the ''Life of Saint Alexis'' (about 1050), in ''a son vivant'' “in his lifetime”; the ''Chanson de Roland'' has ''ne l'amerai à trestut mun vivant'', “I shall not love him as long as I live”.^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873) The adjective is dated about 1150 by the Grand Robert.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''En son vivant'' is in Wace (about 1155) and ''du vivant de'' in Palsgrave (1530); the noun now survives only in these phrases.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) The adjective, opposed to ''mort'', also meant lively, full of life: of a place, ''un quartier bien vivant'' (1800), and of a language, ''langue vivante''.^(BHVF)^(TLFi) In linguistics a formation is ''vivante'' when speakers still use it productively (Darmesteter, 1877).^(BHVF) Figuratively, a ''livre vivant'' (1785) or ''bibliothèque vivante'' is a very learned person.^(BHVF)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1050 – ''A son vivant'', ''Life of Saint Alexis''.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1100 – ''A trestut mun vivant'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ * c. 1150 – The adjective.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1530 – ''Du vivant de'', Palsgrave.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1785 – ''Livre vivant'', Restif de La Bretonne.^(BHVF)

+ * 1800 – Of a lively district.^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|alive]], [[m|en|living]]: ''il est encore vivant'', ''les êtres vivants'', ''enterré vivant''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lively, full of life: ''un quartier vivant'', ''un récit vivant''.^(BHVF)^(TLFi)

+ # Still in use: ''langue vivante'', ''une tradition vivante''.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ # Embodied, living (image): ''le portrait vivant de son père'', ''un squelette vivant''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A living person: ''les vivants et les morts''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''De son vivant'', ''du vivant de'': in one's lifetime.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''Bon vivant'': a person who enjoys life (1680, Richelet).^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vivre]]

+ * [[vie]]

+ * [[survivant]]

+ * [[la|vīvō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}