Translating from English to Predicate Logic,

Complex Examples Like Everyone Trust

Someone
✤ In simple examples, like “Someone ✤ The recommendation is:
attends the meeting,” we know to
translate by ∃ x Mx because we know that ✤ 1) separate into noun phrase and verb
“someone/something” gets translated phrase
with existential quantifier.
✤ 2) translate verb phrase into predicate
✤ Likewise, we know to translate logic
“Everyone attends the meeting” with ∀ x
Mx because we know that “everyone/
everything” gets translated by the ✤ 3) translate noun phrase into
universal quantifier. predicate logic

✤ The distinguishing feature of the complex ✤ 4) paste the two translations together
examples is that, when translated, they
will have two quantifiers in them. So the
trick is to figure out which quantifier goes
where.

1
Complex Examples with Respects

✤ Example 1:
 ✤ 3) Translation of noun phrase:


“Everyone respects someone.”
 

We will use the key:
 ∀ x x respects someone
Rxy = x respects y
✤ 4) Plug the two translations
✤ 1) Noun phrase is “everyone”; together:

verb phrase is “x respects 

someone.” ∀ x ∃ y Rxy

✤ 2) Translation of Verb Phrase:


“∃ y Rxy”

2
Complex Examples with Respects

✤ Example 2:
 ✤ 3) Translation of noun phrase:


“Everyone is respected by someone”.
 

We will use the key:
 ____________________
Rxy = x respects y
✤ 4) Plug the two translations
✤ 1) Noun phrase is __________
 together:


 

verb phrase is _______________ ____________________

✤ 2) Translation of Verb Phrase:


__________________

3
Complex Examples with Respects

✤ Example 3:
 ✤ 3) Translation of noun phrase:


“Someone respects everyone”.
 

We will use the key:
 ____________________
Rxy = x respects y
✤ 4) Plug the two translations
✤ 1) Noun phrase is __________
 together:


 

verb phrase is _______________ ____________________

✤ 2) Translation of Verb Phrase:


__________________

4
Complex Examples with Respects

✤ Example 4:
 ✤ 3) Translation of noun phrase:


“Someone is respected by everyone”.
 

We will use the key:
 ____________________
Rxy = x respects y
✤ 4) Plug the two translations
✤ 1) Noun phrase is __________
 together:


 

verb phrase is _______________ ____________________

✤ 2) Translation of Verb Phrase:


__________________

5
Summing Up Last 4 Examples

Example 1
 Example 2


 

Everyone respects someone
 Everyone is respected by someone


 



Example 3
 Example 4


 

Someone respects everyone
 Someone is respected by everyone


 




Key: Rxy = x respects y