Mr Nelson Mandela Is Dead

[devayaani]

Hallo,
Sorry to bother you if this is the wrong place to put my question.
Can you explain to me what is the difference between the two following expressions?
Thanks.
(1) Mr Nelson Mandela is dead
(2) Mr Nelson Mandela has died.

[sandyRoe]

I think the second sentence is more immediate. It might have been used on the day of the death or soon after.
The first one could be used a year, or ten years, from now.

[Cloverjo]

The second one sounds less harsh and more sympathetic.

[Buenchico]

"Mr Nelson Mandela has died" is reporting a historical event. (i.e. it is a single event that has occurred in the PAST, even if it's the recent past).

"Mr Nelson Mandela is dead" is using the PRESENT tense, to describe something that's still current.

[sherrardk]

Tricky one, I say my mother died or is dead (first one kinder for the listener than the second). Second one more time restrained somehow, implies that the listener might not know that he has died.

[jno]

Yes, as sandyRoe says - I think you could say King George VI is dead; you wouldn't say King George VI has died, at least not after the first week or so.

[Prudie]

The first is a proper noun followed by a verb (present tense) followed by an adjective
The 2nd is a proper noun followed only by a verb (present perfect)

[Kassee]

No 1 is in the present tense (is) and No 2 is in the past tense (has died).

[Peter Pedant]

Verbs under one analysis can be durative ( the action is on going ) or punctiliar ( there is an instant in which the event occurs)

I ) is ongoing - like my father is dead - he died in 1972 in fact
2) reports the event - or even NM died at 7 o'clock.

This idea runs through all indo-european languages.

(well you did ask)

We have a French colleague and he is tortured by the different senses in ... I talked to X and I have been talking to X...poor guy

[THECORBYLOON]

So then, here we have native speakers of English who can't agree on what the difference is...

[FredPuli43]

No, Corby, but we know it when we see it. The Cambridge English Grammar is a large volume running to thousands of pages. It is so technical that, reading it, you'll wonder how anybody speaks English.

He has died means the man has died in the recent past. It is a historic event of recent occurrence . "He has died happy" is similar. "He had died happy" means that he died, but not in the recent past.


"He is dead" is a continuing present ("is"), using an adjective, just as "He is happy" is; is dead is describing something which still exists The confusion in devayaani' s question is that 'dead' is an adjective. 'Died' is not; it is a form of a verb, 'to die' : He dies, he died, he has died, he had died. We cannot use 'died' as an adjective, a word to describe something: we can't say "He is died"

[devayaani]

I thank you all for such a prompt answer.
I am really happy that I asked this question as it was bothering for not knowing the subtle difference in expression and also the grammar explained has been very useful.
Best wishes to you all.
Thanks once gai.