From Impossible Words to Conceptual Structure: the Role of Structure and Processes in the Lexicon

<jats:p><jats:bold>Abstract: </jats:bold> The structure of words is often thought to provide important evidence regarding the structure of concepts. At the same time, most contemporary linguists posit a great deal of structure in words. Such a trend makes some atomists about concepts uncomfortable. The details of linguistic methodology undermine several strategies for avoiding positing structure in words. I conclude by arguing that there is insufficient evidence to hold that word‐structure bears any interesting relation to the structure of concepts.</jats:p>