Towards a definition of intake in second language acquisition

Abstract

Intake is a concept that has long fascinated second language researchers as it provides a <br />window onto the crucial intermediary stage between input and acquisition. A better <br />understanding of this intermediary stage can help us to distinguish between input that is used <br />for immediate (e.g. communicative) purposes only and input that is drawn on for learning. This <br />article traces the different components from which intake can occur, reviews existing <br />definitions of intake and suggests alternatives for its operationalisation.