Predykat

Predykat is the Polish term for predicate. In general, a predicate denotes a property or relation ascribed to a subject or to other entities. It is a basic component of meaning in both linguistics and logic, allowing statements to attribute characteristics or establish relationships.

In logic and formal semantics, a predicate is a symbol or formula that, when applied to objects, yields a truth value. A predicate can take multiple arguments, its arity indicating how many objects it relates. For example, P(x) might mean “x is prime,” while R(x,y) might mean “x is taller than y.” A formula with free variables becomes a proposition when its variables are assigned specific objects; a sentence has no free variables and has a definite truth value under a given interpretation. Interpretations involve a domain of discourse and assignments that map predicate symbols to relations on that domain. Quantifiers such as ∀ and ∃ bind variables within these formulas.

In linguistics and grammar, predykat refers to the predicate of a sentence—the portion that asserts something about the subject. Predicates express actions, events, processes, or states. Polish grammar distinguishes verbal predicates (czasownikowy) and nominal predicates (imienny), often linked by a copula in equivalent sentence structures. The predicate must agree with the subject in person and number, and may carry information about tense, aspect, mood, or voice depending on the language.

Predykat is foundational in formal theories of meaning, computer science applications such as logic programming and database querying, and philosophical analyses of predication. See predicate logic, predication, arity, copula.