diff --git a/src/compiler/checker.ts b/src/compiler/checker.ts
index 5df41f62344..f946c05ee70 100644
--- a/src/compiler/checker.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/checker.ts
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ module ts {
             if (moduleSymbol.flags & SymbolFlags.Variable) {
                 let typeAnnotation = (<VariableDeclaration>moduleSymbol.valueDeclaration).type;
                 if (typeAnnotation) {
-                    return getPropertyOfType(getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(typeAnnotation), name);
+                    return getPropertyOfType(getTypeFromTypeNode(typeAnnotation), name);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ module ts {
             if (symbol.flags & SymbolFlags.Variable) {
                 var typeAnnotation = (<VariableDeclaration>symbol.valueDeclaration).type;
                 if (typeAnnotation) {
-                    return resolveSymbol(getPropertyOfType(getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(typeAnnotation), name));
+                    return resolveSymbol(getPropertyOfType(getTypeFromTypeNode(typeAnnotation), name));
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -2128,7 +2128,7 @@ module ts {
             }
             // Use type from type annotation if one is present
             if (declaration.type) {
-                return getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(declaration.type);
+                return getTypeFromTypeNode(declaration.type);
             }
             if (declaration.kind === SyntaxKind.Parameter) {
                 let func = <FunctionLikeDeclaration>declaration.parent;
@@ -2290,18 +2290,18 @@ module ts {
             return links.type;
         }
 
-        function getSetAccessorTypeAnnotationNode(accessor: AccessorDeclaration): TypeNode | LiteralExpression {
+        function getSetAccessorTypeAnnotationNode(accessor: AccessorDeclaration): TypeNode {
             return accessor && accessor.parameters.length > 0 && accessor.parameters[0].type;
         }
 
         function getAnnotatedAccessorType(accessor: AccessorDeclaration): Type {
             if (accessor) {
                 if (accessor.kind === SyntaxKind.GetAccessor) {
-                    return accessor.type && getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(accessor.type);
+                    return accessor.type && getTypeFromTypeNode(accessor.type);
                 }
                 else {
                     let setterTypeAnnotation = getSetAccessorTypeAnnotationNode(accessor);
-                    return setterTypeAnnotation && getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(setterTypeAnnotation);
+                    return setterTypeAnnotation && getTypeFromTypeNode(setterTypeAnnotation);
                 }
             }
             return undefined;
@@ -2542,7 +2542,7 @@ module ts {
             if (!links.declaredType) {
                 links.declaredType = resolvingType;
                 let declaration = <TypeAliasDeclaration>getDeclarationOfKind(symbol, SyntaxKind.TypeAliasDeclaration);
-                let type = getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(declaration.type);
+                let type = getTypeFromTypeNode(declaration.type);
                 if (links.declaredType === resolvingType) {
                     links.declaredType = type;
                 }
@@ -3084,7 +3084,7 @@ module ts {
                     returnType = classType;
                 }
                 else if (declaration.type) {
-                    returnType = getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(declaration.type);
+                    returnType = getTypeFromTypeNode(declaration.type);
                 }
                 else {
                     // TypeScript 1.0 spec (April 2014):
@@ -3242,7 +3242,7 @@ module ts {
         function getIndexTypeOfSymbol(symbol: Symbol, kind: IndexKind): Type {
             let declaration = getIndexDeclarationOfSymbol(symbol, kind);
             return declaration
-                ? declaration.type ? getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(declaration.type) : anyType
+                ? declaration.type ? getTypeFromTypeNode(declaration.type) : anyType
                 : undefined;
         }
 
@@ -3253,7 +3253,7 @@ module ts {
                     type.constraint = targetConstraint ? instantiateType(targetConstraint, type.mapper) : noConstraintType;
                 }
                 else {
-                    type.constraint = getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement((<TypeParameterDeclaration>getDeclarationOfKind(type.symbol, SyntaxKind.TypeParameter)).constraint);
+                    type.constraint = getTypeFromTypeNode((<TypeParameterDeclaration>getDeclarationOfKind(type.symbol, SyntaxKind.TypeParameter)).constraint);
                 }
             }
             return type.constraint === noConstraintType ? undefined : type.constraint;
@@ -3384,7 +3384,7 @@ module ts {
                             if (type.flags & (TypeFlags.Class | TypeFlags.Interface) && type.flags & TypeFlags.Reference) {
                                 let typeParameters = (<InterfaceType>type).typeParameters;
                                 if (node.typeArguments && node.typeArguments.length === typeParameters.length) {
-                                    type = createTypeReference(<GenericType>type, map(node.typeArguments, getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement));
+                                    type = createTypeReference(<GenericType>type, map(node.typeArguments, getTypeFromTypeNode));
                                 }
                                 else {
                                     error(node, Diagnostics.Generic_type_0_requires_1_type_argument_s, typeToString(type, /*enclosingDeclaration*/ undefined, TypeFormatFlags.WriteArrayAsGenericType), typeParameters.length);
@@ -3482,7 +3482,7 @@ module ts {
         function getTypeFromArrayTypeNode(node: ArrayTypeNode): Type {
             let links = getNodeLinks(node);
             if (!links.resolvedType) {
-                links.resolvedType = createArrayType(getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node.elementType));
+                links.resolvedType = createArrayType(getTypeFromTypeNode(node.elementType));
             }
             return links.resolvedType;
         }
@@ -3500,7 +3500,7 @@ module ts {
         function getTypeFromTupleTypeNode(node: TupleTypeNode): Type {
             let links = getNodeLinks(node);
             if (!links.resolvedType) {
-                links.resolvedType = createTupleType(map(node.elementTypes, getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement));
+                links.resolvedType = createTupleType(map(node.elementTypes, getTypeFromTypeNode));
             }
             return links.resolvedType;
         }
@@ -3609,7 +3609,7 @@ module ts {
         function getTypeFromUnionTypeNode(node: UnionTypeNode): Type {
             let links = getNodeLinks(node);
             if (!links.resolvedType) {
-                links.resolvedType = getUnionType(map(node.types, getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement), /*noSubtypeReduction*/ true);
+                links.resolvedType = getUnionType(map(node.types, getTypeFromTypeNode), /*noSubtypeReduction*/ true);
             }
             return links.resolvedType;
         }
@@ -3623,7 +3623,7 @@ module ts {
             return links.resolvedType;
         }
 
-        function getStringLiteralType(node: LiteralExpression): StringLiteralType {
+        function getStringLiteralType(node: StringLiteral): StringLiteralType {
             if (hasProperty(stringLiteralTypes, node.text)) {
                 return stringLiteralTypes[node.text];
             }
@@ -3633,7 +3633,7 @@ module ts {
             return type;
         }
 
-        function getTypeFromStringLiteral(node: LiteralExpression): Type {
+        function getTypeFromStringLiteral(node: StringLiteral): Type {
             let links = getNodeLinks(node);
             if (!links.resolvedType) {
                 links.resolvedType = getStringLiteralType(node);
@@ -3641,7 +3641,7 @@ module ts {
             return links.resolvedType;
         }
 
-        function getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node: TypeNode | LiteralExpression | HeritageClauseElement): Type {
+        function getTypeFromTypeNode(node: TypeNode): Type {
             switch (node.kind) {
                 case SyntaxKind.AnyKeyword:
                     return anyType;
@@ -3656,7 +3656,7 @@ module ts {
                 case SyntaxKind.VoidKeyword:
                     return voidType;
                 case SyntaxKind.StringLiteral:
-                    return getTypeFromStringLiteral(<LiteralExpression>node);
+                    return getTypeFromStringLiteral(<StringLiteral>node);
                 case SyntaxKind.TypeReference:
                     return getTypeFromTypeReference(<TypeReferenceNode>node);
                 case SyntaxKind.HeritageClauseElement:
@@ -3670,7 +3670,7 @@ module ts {
                 case SyntaxKind.UnionType:
                     return getTypeFromUnionTypeNode(<UnionTypeNode>node);
                 case SyntaxKind.ParenthesizedType:
-                    return getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement((<ParenthesizedTypeNode>node).type);
+                    return getTypeFromTypeNode((<ParenthesizedTypeNode>node).type);
                 case SyntaxKind.FunctionType:
                 case SyntaxKind.ConstructorType:
                 case SyntaxKind.TypeLiteral:
@@ -5681,7 +5681,7 @@ module ts {
             let declaration = <VariableLikeDeclaration>node.parent;
             if (node === declaration.initializer) {
                 if (declaration.type) {
-                    return getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(declaration.type);
+                    return getTypeFromTypeNode(declaration.type);
                 }
                 if (declaration.kind === SyntaxKind.Parameter) {
                     let type = getContextuallyTypedParameterType(<ParameterDeclaration>declaration);
@@ -5884,7 +5884,7 @@ module ts {
                 case SyntaxKind.NewExpression:
                     return getContextualTypeForArgument(<CallExpression>parent, node);
                 case SyntaxKind.TypeAssertionExpression:
-                    return getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement((<TypeAssertion>parent).type);
+                    return getTypeFromTypeNode((<TypeAssertion>parent).type);
                 case SyntaxKind.BinaryExpression:
                     return getContextualTypeForBinaryOperand(node);
                 case SyntaxKind.PropertyAssignment:
@@ -6706,7 +6706,7 @@ module ts {
             let typeArgumentsAreAssignable = true;
             for (let i = 0; i < typeParameters.length; i++) {
                 let typeArgNode = typeArguments[i];
-                let typeArgument = getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(typeArgNode);
+                let typeArgument = getTypeFromTypeNode(typeArgNode);
                 // Do not push on this array! It has a preallocated length
                 typeArgumentResultTypes[i] = typeArgument;
                 if (typeArgumentsAreAssignable /* so far */) {
@@ -6728,9 +6728,12 @@ module ts {
                     let paramType = getTypeAtPosition(signature, i);
                     // A tagged template expression provides a special first argument, and string literals get string literal types
                     // unless we're reporting errors
-                    let argType = i === 0 && node.kind === SyntaxKind.TaggedTemplateExpression ? globalTemplateStringsArrayType :
-                        arg.kind === SyntaxKind.StringLiteral && !reportErrors ? getStringLiteralType(<LiteralExpression>arg) :
-                            checkExpressionWithContextualType(arg, paramType, excludeArgument && excludeArgument[i] ? identityMapper : undefined);
+                    let argType = i === 0 && node.kind === SyntaxKind.TaggedTemplateExpression
+                        ? globalTemplateStringsArrayType
+                        : arg.kind === SyntaxKind.StringLiteral && !reportErrors
+                            ? getStringLiteralType(<StringLiteral>arg)
+                            : checkExpressionWithContextualType(arg, paramType, excludeArgument && excludeArgument[i] ? identityMapper : undefined);
+
                     // Use argument expression as error location when reporting errors
                     if (!checkTypeRelatedTo(argType, paramType, relation, reportErrors ? arg : undefined,
                         Diagnostics.Argument_of_type_0_is_not_assignable_to_parameter_of_type_1)) {
@@ -7188,7 +7191,7 @@ module ts {
 
         function checkTypeAssertion(node: TypeAssertion): Type {
             let exprType = checkExpression(node.expression);
-            let targetType = getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node.type);
+            let targetType = getTypeFromTypeNode(node.type);
             if (produceDiagnostics && targetType !== unknownType) {
                 let widenedType = getWidenedType(exprType);
                 if (!(isTypeAssignableTo(targetType, widenedType))) {
@@ -7362,7 +7365,7 @@ module ts {
         function checkFunctionExpressionOrObjectLiteralMethodBody(node: FunctionExpression | MethodDeclaration) {
             Debug.assert(node.kind !== SyntaxKind.MethodDeclaration || isObjectLiteralMethod(node));
             if (node.type && !node.asteriskToken) {
-                checkIfNonVoidFunctionHasReturnExpressionsOrSingleThrowStatment(node, getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node.type));
+                checkIfNonVoidFunctionHasReturnExpressionsOrSingleThrowStatment(node, getTypeFromTypeNode(node.type));
             }
 
             if (node.body) {
@@ -7372,7 +7375,7 @@ module ts {
                 else {
                     let exprType = checkExpression(<Expression>node.body);
                     if (node.type) {
-                        checkTypeAssignableTo(exprType, getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node.type), node.body, /*headMessage*/ undefined);
+                        checkTypeAssignableTo(exprType, getTypeFromTypeNode(node.type), node.body, /*headMessage*/ undefined);
                     }
                     checkFunctionExpressionBodies(node.body);
                 }
@@ -8801,12 +8804,12 @@ module ts {
         }
 
         /** Checks a type reference node as an expression. */
-        function checkTypeNodeAsExpression(node: TypeNode | LiteralExpression) {
+        function checkTypeNodeAsExpression(node: TypeNode) {
             // When we are emitting type metadata for decorators, we need to try to check the type
             // as if it were an expression so that we can emit the type in a value position when we 
             // serialize the type metadata.
             if (node && node.kind === SyntaxKind.TypeReference) {
-                let type = getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node);
+                let type = getTypeFromTypeNode(node);
                 let shouldCheckIfUnknownType = type === unknownType && compilerOptions.separateCompilation;
                 if (!type || (!shouldCheckIfUnknownType && type.flags & (TypeFlags.Intrinsic | TypeFlags.NumberLike | TypeFlags.StringLike))) {
                     return;
@@ -8826,7 +8829,8 @@ module ts {
                 case SyntaxKind.PropertyDeclaration:
                     checkTypeNodeAsExpression((<PropertyDeclaration>node).type);
                     break;
-                case SyntaxKind.Parameter: checkTypeNodeAsExpression((<ParameterDeclaration>node).type);
+                case SyntaxKind.Parameter:
+                    checkTypeNodeAsExpression((<ParameterDeclaration>node).type);
                     break;
                 case SyntaxKind.MethodDeclaration:
                     checkTypeNodeAsExpression((<MethodDeclaration>node).type);
@@ -8942,7 +8946,7 @@ module ts {
 
             checkSourceElement(node.body);
             if (node.type && !isAccessor(node.kind) && !node.asteriskToken) {
-                checkIfNonVoidFunctionHasReturnExpressionsOrSingleThrowStatment(node, getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node.type));
+                checkIfNonVoidFunctionHasReturnExpressionsOrSingleThrowStatment(node, getTypeFromTypeNode(node.type));
             }
 
             // Report an implicit any error if there is no body, no explicit return type, and node is not a private method
@@ -10106,7 +10110,7 @@ module ts {
                 if (!tp1.constraint || !tp2.constraint) {
                     return false;
                 }
-                if (!isTypeIdenticalTo(getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(tp1.constraint), getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(tp2.constraint))) {
+                if (!isTypeIdenticalTo(getTypeFromTypeNode(tp1.constraint), getTypeFromTypeNode(tp2.constraint))) {
                     return false;
                 }
             }
@@ -11137,7 +11141,7 @@ module ts {
             return node.parent && node.parent.kind === SyntaxKind.HeritageClauseElement;
         }
 
-        function isTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node: Node): boolean {
+        function isTypeNode(node: Node): boolean {
             if (SyntaxKind.FirstTypeNode <= node.kind && node.kind <= SyntaxKind.LastTypeNode) {
                 return true;
             }
@@ -11386,8 +11390,8 @@ module ts {
                 return unknownType;
             }
 
-            if (isTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(node)) {
-                return getTypeFromTypeNodeOrHeritageClauseElement(<TypeNode | HeritageClauseElement>node);
+            if (isTypeNode(node)) {
+                return getTypeFromTypeNode(<TypeNode>node);
             }
 
             if (isExpression(node)) {
diff --git a/src/compiler/declarationEmitter.ts b/src/compiler/declarationEmitter.ts
index 30f50faf562..3f613271ce1 100644
--- a/src/compiler/declarationEmitter.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/declarationEmitter.ts
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ module ts {
             handleSymbolAccessibilityError(resolver.isSymbolAccessible(symbol, enclosingDeclaration, meaning));
         }
 
-        function writeTypeOfDeclaration(declaration: AccessorDeclaration | VariableLikeDeclaration, type: TypeNode | StringLiteralExpression, getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic: GetSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic) {
+        function writeTypeOfDeclaration(declaration: AccessorDeclaration | VariableLikeDeclaration, type: TypeNode, getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic: GetSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic) {
             writer.getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic = getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic;
             write(": ");
             if (type) {
@@ -314,12 +314,12 @@ module ts {
             }
         }
 
-        function emitTypeWithNewGetSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic(type: TypeNode | EntityName | HeritageClauseElement, getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic: GetSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic) {
+        function emitTypeWithNewGetSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic(type: TypeNode | EntityName, getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic: GetSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic) {
             writer.getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic = getSymbolAccessibilityDiagnostic;
             emitType(type);
         }
 
-        function emitType(type: TypeNode | StringLiteralExpression | Identifier | QualifiedName | HeritageClauseElement) {
+        function emitType(type: TypeNode | Identifier | QualifiedName) {
             switch (type.kind) {
                 case SyntaxKind.AnyKeyword:
                 case SyntaxKind.StringKeyword:
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ module ts {
                 writeLine();
             }
 
-            function getTypeAnnotationFromAccessor(accessor: AccessorDeclaration): TypeNode | StringLiteralExpression {
+            function getTypeAnnotationFromAccessor(accessor: AccessorDeclaration): TypeNode {
                 if (accessor) {
                     return accessor.kind === SyntaxKind.GetAccessor
                         ? accessor.type // Getter - return type
diff --git a/src/compiler/parser.ts b/src/compiler/parser.ts
index 5fce6df3bd5..99803f94e4d 100644
--- a/src/compiler/parser.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/parser.ts
@@ -1803,7 +1803,7 @@ module ts {
         function parseParameterType(): TypeNode {
             if (parseOptional(SyntaxKind.ColonToken)) {
                 return token === SyntaxKind.StringLiteral
-                    ? <StringLiteralTypeNode>parseLiteralNode(/*internName:*/ true)
+                    ? <StringLiteral>parseLiteralNode(/*internName:*/ true)
                     : parseType();
             }
 
diff --git a/src/compiler/types.ts b/src/compiler/types.ts
index b3d2f7858ea..370ece347a3 100644
--- a/src/compiler/types.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/types.ts
@@ -596,7 +596,11 @@ module ts {
         type: TypeNode;
     }
 
-    export interface StringLiteralTypeNode extends LiteralExpression, TypeNode { }
+    // Note that a StringLiteral AST node is both an Expression and a TypeNode.  The latter is
+    // because string literals can appear in the type annotation of a parameter node.
+    export interface StringLiteral extends LiteralExpression, TypeNode {
+        _stringLiteralBrand: any;
+    }
 
     // Note: 'brands' in our syntax nodes serve to give us a small amount of nominal typing.
     // Consider 'Expression'.  Without the brand, 'Expression' is actually no different
@@ -689,10 +693,6 @@ module ts {
         hasExtendedUnicodeEscape?: boolean;
     }
 
-    export interface StringLiteralExpression extends LiteralExpression {
-        _stringLiteralExpressionBrand: any;
-    }
-
     export interface TemplateExpression extends PrimaryExpression {
         head: LiteralExpression;
         templateSpans: NodeArray<TemplateSpan>;
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ module ts {
         arguments: NodeArray<Expression>;
     }
 
-    export interface HeritageClauseElement extends Node {
+    export interface HeritageClauseElement extends TypeNode {
         expression: LeftHandSideExpression;
         typeArguments?: NodeArray<TypeNode>;
     }