表達 ”死” 的這三個字裡 die dead death

這個圖有夠毒! 居然幫 Apple 的老板 Steve Jobs 做了個 ipod 造型的生墳 iGrave
(grave 即為墳墓之意)

die 是動詞, 所以

He died. (他死了, 表示已發生)
He is dying. (他快死了)
He will die. / He is going to die. (他會死.) (指在未來某時候)
He has died. (他已經死了.)
He had died. (他那時已經死了) (表示在過去某件事前)
但是用 dead 就要注意了, 它是形容詞 ”死亡的” 的意思

所以各位來想想, 以下哪種時態是不能用 dead 這個形容詞的呢?

He is dead.
He was dead.
He will be dead.
He has been dead.
He had been dead.
答案是: He was dead. 這個句子是不可能成立的!!
因為以 ”死” 這個動詞來說, 它只會發生一次
之後這個人就一直是 ”死的” 狀態了
說 He was dead. 會變成是說這個人只有以前是死的, 後來或現在不是死的
除非這句話有上下文
像是可能說: When the police found him, he was (already) dead.
或人家問: What was he like when you found him? 而回答 He was dead.
但如果你要講一個人已過世的話, 他到現在仍是 ”死的”
所以你還是說 He is dead. 而不是 He was dead.
要說他死了多久, 就可用現在完成式: He has been dead for five years.
不然就是過去式動詞 He died five years ago.
He had been dead. 也是在講在過去某事前就已經死了
比如: He had been dead for three days before the neighbors found him.

至於 death, 則是 ”死” 的名詞

名詞一般當然是放在主詞的位置, 或當動詞或介系詞的受詞
也可能在所有格, 冠詞, 形容詞的後面, 或在另一個名詞的前面或後面
比如: Her father’s death was a big blow to her. (父親的死對她是一大打擊)
The criminal asked for a quick death. (罪犯要求死個痛快)
Some people think Jack has a death wish because he is into extreme sports.
(有些人因為傑克熱中極限運動而認為他想找死)