This article argues that the data on English evidential markers indicate that evidentiality is not a grammatical category which is only applicable to some languages, but can be considered a universal semantic function that tends to trigger the grammaticalization of lexical forms. This study investigates five criteria that can help us locate linguistic forms on the lexicon–grammar continuum: reduction, desemanticization, backgrounding, decategorialization and paradigmatization. Although it has not reached the full maturity of so-called ‘evidential languages’, English provides evidence of the grammaticalization of evidentiality. Evidentiality is thus a relevant notion for English which substantially impacts the organization of the lexicon of the language, and the evolution of its grammar.

本文认为，英语证据标记的数据表明，证据性不是一个仅适用于某些语言的语法范畴，而是一种普遍的语义功能，往往会引发词汇形式的语法化。本研究调查了五个标准，可以帮助我们在词汇-语法连续体上定位语言形式：还原、去语义化、背景化、去分类化和范式化。尽管它还没有达到所谓的“证据语言”的完全成熟，但英语提供了证据性语法化的证据。因此，证据性是英语的一个相关概念，它极大地影响了语言词典的组织及其语法的演变。