Truth condition (source code)

= Truth condition

A <truth condition> specifies what must hold for a declarative expression to be true under an interpretation and context. It is distinct from the expression's actual <truth value>: someone can understand what would make a statement true without knowing whether those circumstances obtain.<Essentials of Linguistics (2nd edition) by Catherine Anderson and others>[§7.11, The denotation of sentences and If and only if]{ref}

For a toy example, interpret `Every marked tile is blue` using a <set> $M$ of marked tiles and a <set> $B$ of blue tiles. Its <truth condition> is $M\subseteq B$. If $M=\{1,2\}$ and $B=\{2,3\}$, it is false; changing $B$ to $\{1,2,3\}$ makes it true. The rule remains fixed while the model changes. <Truth conditions> allow <formal semantics> to separate an interpretation from the evidence used to assess a particular situation, although <pragmatics> can contribute further conversational meaning.