"Lepak" as a Sociolinguistic Arena: Oral Interaction and Arabic L2 Fluency in Northern Malaysia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68299/0rynrm79Keywords:
Arabic L2 Fluency, Informal Language Learning, Lepak, Oral Interaction, Sociolinguistic ArenaAbstract
This study explores lepak as a sociolinguistic arena for Arabic as a second language (L2) oral interaction among learners in Northern Malaysia. Employing a qualitative sociolinguistic approach, the research examines how Arabic is used, negotiated, and sustained within naturally occurring, informal peer gatherings that are culturally embedded and free from formal instructional control. Data were collected through prolonged observations, audio-recorded lepak interactions, and semi-structured interviews with Arabic L2 learners, and were analyzed using thematic and interactional analysis. The findings reveal that lepak functions as a low-anxiety interactional space that facilitates spontaneous Arabic use, peer alignment, and collaborative meaning-making. Arabic oral fluency in this context emerges not from grammatical accuracy or task-based performance, but from interactional flow, communicative responsiveness, and sustained participation. Code-switching between Arabic, Malay, and English operates as a strategic communicative resource that maintains conversational continuity while reinforcing Arabic as a symbolic and identity-bearing language. In addition, subtle teacher guidance such as encouraging learners to note unfamiliar vocabulary during interaction and revisit it later supports the integration of informal oral practice with reflective lexical development. This study contributes to Arabic L2 research by foregrounding culturally embedded informal practices as legitimate sites of language development and by extending sociolinguistic perspectives on fluency beyond classroom-centered models. Pedagogically, the findings suggest that Arabic education in Islamic contexts may benefit from recognizing informal peer interaction spaces such as lepak as complementary learning ecologies that support oral fluency, communicative confidence, and linguistic identity formation.
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