  Extending the notion of terminus opens the horizon for taking into account further semiotic issues, such as the distinction between terms that signify absolutely (terminus absolute significans) and terms that signify on account of circumstances (terminus ex circumstantia significans) (Juan de Oria, Summul. vol. Primum, 1987, 106f.) Whereas spoken or written words are members of the first class, the second class is made up from any other kind of conventional signs, like the toll of bells, the crucifix or the circulus vini. With this distinction, Johannes de Oria underscores the influence of the situational context on the signification of non-linguistic signs. As he notices, it depends on the circumstances of time and place whether the toll of a bell is an invitation to go to the chapter congregation or to a meal; an image of the crucified Christ denotes that he has to be adored only in the situational context of a church building, but not in the studio of the painter or sculptor (imago crucifixi in ecclesia posita, representat quod est adoranda, ubi non sic representaret in domo pictoris vel statuifici) (Juan de Oria, Summul. vol. Primum, 1987, 106f.); a wreath of foliage denotes the vine-selling only when attached outside a tavern, but not in the woods (Peter Margallus, Log. utriusque scholia, 1965, 166). Moreover, the terms that signify on account of circumstances are characterized according to John of Oria by the fact that they regularly signify a state of affairs and thus function as propositional signs (terminus ex circumstantia significans regulariter representat aliquid esse vel non esse. Ex quo fit quod omnis talis terminus est propositio) (Juan de Oria, Summul. vol. Primum, 1987, 106).