An indication may appear in the wording itself, or arise from reason, ordinary experience, context, or known facts. It is therefore helpful to distinguish verbal (لفظية) from nonverbal or conceptual (معنوية) indications.
TypeHow it worksGeneral example
VerbalA word or construction in the utterance blocks a literal predicationAn explicit expression incompatible with literal agency
ConceptualReason, customary knowledge or situation excludes the apparent agentAn action ascribed to a season or causal associate that is not the proper performer
The indication should not be confused with the relation (علاقة). Causality or time explains the association between agent and subject; the indication explains why the apparent attribution is not intended literally.