These results also suggest that those who were able to interact more in the target language acquired more German, all of which means more input meeting the requirements of the input hypothesis.

Schumann draws a parallel between natural ("free" or informal) second language acquisition and the pidginization-decreolization continuum, suggesting that early second language acquisition is similar to pidginization (secondary hybridization) and that late second language acquisition is similar to the mesolect and acrolect stages of decreolization.¹⁸ As evidence, he describes the case of Alberto, a Spanish-speaking adult living in the United States who appeared to be at a considerable psychological and social distance¹⁹ from English speakers, and whose speech showed marked signs of pidginization, i.e. lack of several grammatical morphemes, little use of inversion in questions, and use of more primitive transitional forms in negation (Schumann, 1978a provides details). Alberto thus fits the Acculturation Hypothesis, since he showed little second language acquisition and little acculturation, defined as the degree of social and psychological distance. Albert is also quite consistent with the theoretical framework presented here and the hypothesis that comprehensible input and filter level are primary determinants of second language acquisition. Alberto, it can be claimed, received little comprehensible input in English (he worked nights, did not own a TV set, did not attend ESL classes, and made little effort to get to know English speakers., according to Schumann, 1978a), and probably had a strong affective filter as well.²⁰

Stauble's subjects, reported in Stauble (1978) are also considered to be evidence for the Acculturation Hypothesis. All three were Spanish speakers who had been in the United States for many years, and who had apparently "fossilized" at different levels in their development of negation. Stauble attempted to relate their progress in second language acquisition, as reflected by the transitional forms they used for negation, and acculturation, measured by an informal questionnaire probing social and psychological distance from speakers of English. The subject Xavier showed the least progress in English negation, but also showed the least social distance. Stauble's questionnaire revealed that his psychological distance, however, was greater than that of the others, which is consistent with the Acculturation Hypothesis. Paz, the most advanced speaker, had the greatest social distance, but, along

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