Thus, if an expression were used in a possessive construction in one sense, then used in that same construction in another sense, it would be figurative. Indeed, if names such as Baalbek and Hadramawt—fused compounds originally formed as possessive constructions—are not described as figurative, then an expression used only in a possessive construction has even greater reason not to be considered figurative.

As for those who distinguish literal from figurative usage by saying that literal usage conveys a meaning without contextual indicators, whereas figurative usage conveys that meaning only with a contextual indicator; or who say, “The literal meaning is what an unqualified expression conveys, whereas the figurative meaning is conveyed only with qualification”; or who say, “The literal meaning is what first comes to mind when an expression is used without qualification, whereas the figurative meaning does not come to mind first”; or who say, “The figurative meaning can validly be denied, whereas the literal meaning cannot”—they should be asked: “What do you mean by the absence of contextual indicators and their presence?”

If this means verbal contextual indicators, such as a noun’s being used in a possessive construction or with the definite article, and its being qualified by serving as the subject of a verb, an object, the subject of a nominal sentence, or its predicate, then no noun ever occurs in connected speech without qualification. The same applies to a verb, if by its being qualified one means that it must have a subject and may be further qualified by a direct object, adverbials of time and place, an expression of purpose or accompaniment, or a circumstantial qualifier. A verb is never used without qualification. This is even more evident with particles, for a particle is used to convey a meaning through its relation to another expression.

In short, no noun, verb, or particle ever occurs in a complete utterance without qualifications that prevent it from being unqualified. If, then, a contextual indicator is something that prevents an expression from being free of every