Why is 'estar muerto' used instead of 'ser muerto'?

Question

I know it is rather rude to think of it this way and I don't want to offend anyone religiously, but being dead is usually thought of as a very permanent condition in the United States.So why does Spanish use the word 'estar' instead of 'ser' to indicate that condition? Is there some background to this in terms of religion or politeness?If I say 'Mi padre es muerto', would that have a drastically different meaning than if I had used estar, or is the first one just plain incorrect and should never be used at all?

Answer 1

Ser generally describes inherent characteristics. whereas estar generally describes a temporary state of being.

For example:

Están locos. (they are crazy-in the moment crazy)

Son locos. (they are crazy, but referring to the nature of their being)

Uses of ser: permanent condition, location of events, the nature of someone of something, expressions of time.

Uses of estar: temporary condition, temporary location, state of being that is not innate.

Feel free to message me directly anymore questions you have on this or anything else.

Answer 2

This use of the word estar falls under the "state of being" category. These are typically used to describe ones current physical status. Being dead, even though it is permanent, happens to fall under this category.