Some lexical structures and their empirical validity Conclusion

The force of the empirical validity of lexical distinctions and the corresponding descriptive mechanisms depends on the extent to which the analyses are arrived at following a formal evaluation criterion. The exact form of the distinctive features in (1), the feature hierarchy in (3 c), the lexical hierarchy in (5) and the metaphor extension rule will ultimately be determined by the form of the universal semantic structures and the complexity of a particular description.

The descriptive devices we have presented do not exhaust what is necessary for semantic theory. What we have shown is that an explanatory semantic theory is possible, and have indicated some of its characteristics. Primarily, we have outlined the kinds of empirical considerations which must be included in the evaluation of different candidates for any explanatory semantic theory.