References to the term "incidental vocabulary learning" have become very commonplace not only in second language (L2) acquisition research, but also in empirical research into second and foreign language pedagogy, very often in contrast to "intentional language learning". The former term is associated with more natural language learning, that is, outside formal classroom instruction, whereas the latter is assumed to be typical of practices and behaviors within it. As will become apparent, incidental vocabulary learning is actually an impracticable and not very useful term for current empirical research into vocabulary development in L2 pedagogy. The authors suggest an alternative term to the incidental-intentional contrast, namely, "induced vocabulary salience," which reflects an external intervention perspective, rather than an internal individual participant one.