A proposition can be Expressed in Different Sentences
2a Helen put on a sweater.
2b Helen put a sweater on.
These are different English sentences, but they convey the same message—they express the same proposition.
3a Richard wrote the report.
3b Richard is the one who wrote the report.
3c The report was written by Richard.
3d The report is what Richard wrote.
We may say that these four sentences also express a single proposition but they differ in focus: 3b and 3c give a special emphasis to Richard, 3d emphasizes the report, and 3a has no particular focus. In the approach taken here, a proposition does not have a focus; a sentence may add a focus and may add the focus in different places and in different ways. The four sentences about Richard embody the same proposition. A proposition, then, can be realized as several different sentences.
2b Helen put a sweater on.
These are different English sentences, but they convey the same message—they express the same proposition.
3a Richard wrote the report.
3b Richard is the one who wrote the report.
3c The report was written by Richard.
3d The report is what Richard wrote.
We may say that these four sentences also express a single proposition but they differ in focus: 3b and 3c give a special emphasis to Richard, 3d emphasizes the report, and 3a has no particular focus. In the approach taken here, a proposition does not have a focus; a sentence may add a focus and may add the focus in different places and in different ways. The four sentences about Richard embody the same proposition. A proposition, then, can be realized as several different sentences.
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