An interpretation of a first-order language

 assigns a denotation to all non-logical constants in that language

 determines a domain of discourse that specifies the range of the
quantifiers.
The result is that
 each term is assigned an object that it represents, and
 each sentence is assigned a truth value.
In this way, an interpretation provides semantic meaning to the terms and
formulas of the language. The study of the interpretations of formal
languages is called formal semantics.

The most commonly studied formal logics are propositional logic,

predicate logic and their modal analogs, and for these there are standard
ways of presenting an interpretation.
In these contexts an interpretation is a function that provides the
extension of symbols and strings of symbols of an object language.
For example, an interpretation function could take the predicate T (for
"tall") and assign it the extension {a} (for "Abraham Lincoln"). Note that
all our interpretation does is assign the extension {a} to the non-logical
constant T, and does not make a claim about whether T is to stand for tall
and 'a' for Abraham Lincoln. Nor does logical interpretation have
anything to say about logical connectives like 'and', 'or' and 'not'. Though
we may take these symbols to stand for certain things or concepts, this is
not determined by the interpretation function.

An interpretation often (but not always) provides a way to determine the

truth values of sentences in a language. If a given interpretation assigns
the value True to a sentence or theory, the interpretation is called a model
of that sentence or theory.
SEMANTICS
A big advantage of FOPC: a well-defined semantics

When we write down a set of facts about some DOMAIN in FOPC, we

must establish a correspondence of our constants, functions, and
predicates with the elements in the domain.
This is called an INTERPRETATION of the formulas.

Now we shall discuss how interpretation is done in predicate calculus

for various terms and symbols.

Interpretations in Predicate Calculus

The domain of discourse D is a nonempty set of “objects” or “elements”
of some kind. Intuitively, a first-order formula is a statement about these
objects; for example, states the existence of an object x such that
the predicate P is true where referred to it. The domain of discourse is the
set of considered objects. For example, one can take D to be the set of
integer numbers.

An interpretation of a formula F in first-order logic is a nonempty domain

D and an assignment of values to each constant, variable, function, and
predicate as follows:

[Link] each constant, assign an element of D.

E.g.
The interpretation of a constant symbol is a function from the one-
element set D0 to D, which can be simply identified with an object in
D. For example, an interpretation may assign the value I(c) = 10 to the
constant symbol c.
[Link] each variable assign a nonempty subset of D; these are the
allowable substitutions for that variable.
E.g.
Set of integers from a domain of real numbers

[Link] each n-place function, assign a mapping: Dn → D.

E.g.
The interpretation of a function symbol is a function. For example, if
the domain of discourse consists of integers, a function symbol f of
arity 2 can be interpreted as the function that gives the sum of its
arguments. In other words, the symbol f is associated with the function
I(f) which, in this interpretation, is addition.
[Link] each n-place predicate, assign a mapping: Dn → {true, false}.
E.g.
The interpretation of an n-ary predicate symbol is a set of n-tuples of
 elements of the domain of discourse. This means that, given an
interpretation, a predicate symbol, and n elements of the domain of
discourse, one can tell whether the predicate is true of those elements
according to the given interpretation. For example, an interpretation
I(P) of a binary predicate symbol P may be the set of pairs of integers
such that the first one is less than the second. According to this
interpretation, the predicate P would be true if its first argument is less
than the second.

Example of a first-order interpretation

An example of interpretation I of the language L described above is as
follows.
 Domain: A chess set
 Individual constants: a: The white King b: The black Queen c: The
white Kings's pawn
 F(x): x is a piece
 G(x): x is a pawn
 H(x): x is black
 I(x): x is white
 J(x, y): x can capture y
In the interpretation I of L:
 the following are true sentences: F(a), G(c), H(b), I(a) J(b, c),
 the following are false sentences: J(a, c), G(a).

Given an interpretation, the meaning of an expression is a truth

value assignment over the interpretation

Truth-value of P.C. Expressions

Assume an expression E and an interpretation I for E over a nonempty
domain D. The truth-value for E is determined by:

 The value of a constant is the element of D it is assigned to by I.

 The value of a variable is set of elements of D it is assigned to by I.
 The value of a function expression is that element of D obtained by
evaluating the function for the parameter values assigned by the
interpretation.
 The value of an atomic sentence is either T or F, as determined by
the interpretation I.
 The truth assignment of negation, ~ P, where P is any symbol, is F
 if the assignment to P is T, and T if the assignment to P is F.
 The truth assignment of conjunction, ^, is T only when both
conjuncts have truth value T; otherwise it is F.
 The truth assignment of disjunction, V, is F only when both
disjuncts have truth-value F; otherwise it is T.
 The truth assignment of implication, –>, is F only when the premise
or symbol before the implication is T and the truth value of the
consequent or symbol after the implication is F; otherwise it is T.
 The truth assignment of equivalence, =, is T only when both
expressions have same truth assignment for all possible
interpretations; otherwise it is F.
 The truth assignment for quantifiers has already been explained.

SEMANTICS
Formal semantics studies the logical aspects of meaning, such as sense,
reference, implication, and logical form.

Now the SEMANTICS is:

A formula is (means) TRUE under an interpretation if

1. If G and H are evaluated, then NOT G, G AND H, G IMPLIES H, G

OR H, etc. have values in the obvious way.
2. (FORALL X) G is T if G is T for every x in D, otherwise F
3. (EXISTS X) G is T if ONE x in D makes it T else F

Semantics of First Order Predicate Calculus

1. MODEL of the domain is:

An interpretation that makes our sentences TRUE. This is also called
MODEL THEORETIC SEMANTICS

2. A TAUTOLOGY (or simply, VALID formula) is a formula that is

TRUE under ANY interpretation
Eg- law of excluded middle

3. A FALLACY (or, an INCONSISTENT formula) is a formula that is

FALSE under ANY interpretation. Eg: A^ ~A

4. A formula is SATISFIABLE if there is at least ONE interpretation

that makes it TRUE
E.g.: Teacher(x), Above25(x)