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What is an example of a literal meaning?

Let's take the phrase: "The sun is shining."

* Literal meaning: The sun is emitting light and warmth, making the sky bright.

Here's why this is the literal meaning:

* No figurative language: The words are used in their most basic, straightforward sense. There's no metaphor, simile, or other literary device.

* Factual description: It simply describes a real-world phenomenon in a direct way.

Now, let's contrast it with a figurative meaning:

* Figurative meaning: "She's the sunshine of my life." Here, "sunshine" is used metaphorically to represent joy and happiness, not the actual sun.

In a nutshell, literal meaning sticks to the dictionary definition and avoids any symbolic interpretations.

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