ERP waves and scalp topographies show divergent difference waves (atypical–typical, correct Yes responses only) for pictures of (top) both nontransparent and morphologically transparent, (middle) nontransparent only, and (bottom) morphologically transparent only typical vs. atypical items after viewing category‐level labels. English‐speaking participants showed strong typicality effect in the left frontal electrons (F5, F7) when viewing nontransparent items, but in the right frontal electrons (F6, F8) activity when viewing morphologically transparent items for both N300 and N400 components. Significant typicality effects in bilateral frontal electrodes were found when combined together. * P < 0.05 ** P < 0.01 *** P < 0.001 for Bonferroni corrected post‐hoc comparisons.