Consider a predicate logical language with predicate symbol A that takes one argument, and predicate symbol R that takes two arguments:
- $a$ denotes Alice
- $b$ denotes Bob
- $Ax $ means $x$ is a woman
- $Rxy$ means $x$ is a child of $y$
I want to translate the following statement in predicate logic:
Alice and Bob have less than 3 sons
I interpret this sentence as Anna having less than 3 sons and Bob having less than 3 sons.
Here is my try:
$$\forall y \Big( (y=a\lor y=b)\to \big[\exists k_{ 0 },k_{ 1 },k_{ 2 }(Rk_{ 0 }y\land Rk_{ 1 }y\land Rk_{ 2 }y\land \lnot Ak_{ 0 }\land \lnot Ak_{ 1 }\land \lnot Ak_{ 2 })\to (k_{ 0 }=k_{ 1 }\lor k_{ 0 }=k_{ 2 } \lor k_1 = k_2) \big] \Big)$$
The most natural reading of the sentence Anna and Bob have less than $3$ sons is that Anna and Bob are a couple, and that they are the parents of at most two boys (and some unknown number of girls, possibly none). This does not rule out the possibility that Bob, say, has more sons by some other woman. I would interpret it, then, as the verbal equivalent of this:
$$\neg\exists x,y,z(x\ne y\land x\ne z\land y\ne z\land\neg Ax\land\neg Ay\land\neg Az\land Rxa\land Rxb\land Rya\land Ryb\land Rza\land Rzb)$$
‘There do not exist $x,y$, and $z$ that are distinct, not women, and children of both Anna and Bob.’
You can of course replace
$$\neg\exists x,y,z\big(x\ne y\land x\ne z\land y\ne z\land\varphi(x,y,z)\big)$$
by
$$\forall x,y,z\Big(\varphi(x,y,z)\to x=y\lor x=z\lor y=z\Big)$$
if you prefer.