the semantic relation between two events where one event does not accompany the other event and further characterizes the other event in some way. In this respect, the negative circumstantial relation is a 'negative' version of the means or positive circumstantial relation. Example: She carried the punch into the living room without spilling a drop is a figure–ground construal of the negative circumstantial relation in an adverbial clause construction, and She carried the punch into the living room, and she didn't spill a drop! is a complex figure construal of the relation in a coordinate clause construction. In the figure–ground construal, the non-accompanying event is construed as the ground. (Section 15.3.1)