How do de dicto and de re readings of a statement differ?

The distinction between de dicto and de re readings concerns the scope and focus of modal statements, which describe possibilities, necessities, or contingencies.1

• De dicto (Latin for "of the word") refers to the modality of propositions. It concerns the relation between a statement and its truth-value. A de dicto reading focuses on whether the proposition itself is necessarily or contingently true, regardless of the specific objects mentioned within it.1
• De re (Latin for "of the thing") refers to the modality of things. It concerns the relation between objects and their properties. A de re reading focuses on whether a specific object possesses a property essentially (in every possible world where it exists) or accidentally (only in some possible worlds).1

For example, while a de dicto statement might assert that it is necessary that all bachelors are unmarried, a de re perspective would examine whether a specific individual possesses the property of being a bachelor essentially or merely as an accidental feature of their existence.1