Towards a definition of intake in second language acquisition

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