Mereka membincangkan sama ada seloroh itu spontan atau mengikut skrip.

Membincangkan means to discuss (something).

The important thing is that membincangkan usually takes a direct object, so it tells you what is being discussed:

• Mereka membincangkan isu itu. = They discussed that issue.
• Mereka membincangkan sama ada... = They discussed whether...

By contrast, berbincang means to discuss / have a discussion, but it is often used without a direct object, or with tentang/mengenai:

• Mereka berbincang. = They were discussing.
• Mereka berbincang tentang isu itu. = They discussed that issue.

So in this sentence, membincangkan is used because the sentence clearly states what they were discussing.

The base word is bincang.

When Malay adds the meN- prefix to form an active verb, the shape of the prefix changes depending on the first sound of the root word. With words beginning with b, meN- becomes mem-:

• bincang → membincang
• with the suffix -kan → membincangkan

So:

• bincang = discussion / discuss
• membincangkan = to discuss something

This is a very common pattern in Malay verb formation.

Sama ada means whether.

It introduces two or more alternatives, just like English whether ... or ...:

• sama ada A atau B = whether A or B

In this sentence:

• sama ada seloroh itu spontan atau mengikut skrip
• whether the joke was spontaneous or according to a script

This is a very common and useful structure in Malay.

Very often, yes. It is one of the standard ways to express alternatives.

Pattern:

• sama ada ... atau ... = whether ... or ...

Examples:

• Saya tidak tahu sama ada dia datang atau tidak. = I do not know whether he is coming or not.
• Mereka berbincang sama ada rancangan itu sesuai atau terlalu mahal. = They discussed whether the plan was suitable or too expensive.

Sometimes in real speech or writing, parts may be shortened if the meaning is already clear, but for learners, sama ada ... atau ... is the safest pattern to remember.

Seloroh usually means a joke, banter, or a humorous remark.

It often suggests something said playfully, lightly, or not seriously. Depending on context, it can be:

• a joke
• teasing
• playful banter
• a humorous comment

So seloroh itu means that joke / that banter / that humorous remark.

The exact English translation depends on context, but the core idea is that the speech was humorous or not fully serious.

In Malay, itu often works like that or the definite idea of the after a noun.

So:

• seloroh = a joke / jokes in general
• seloroh itu = that joke / the joke

This is a very common Malay word order:

• rumah itu = that house / the house
• orang itu = that person
• cerita itu = that story

Unlike English, demonstratives like ini and itu usually come after the noun.

Malay often does not need a separate verb like to be in the present or in many simple statements.

So:

• seloroh itu spontan literally looks like the joke that spontaneous
• but it naturally means the joke was spontaneous or the joke is spontaneous, depending on context

Malay commonly leaves out is/am/are/was/were when linking a subject to an adjective or noun.

Examples:

• Dia marah. = He is angry / He was angry.
• Rumah itu besar. = The house is big.
• Mereka guru. = They are teachers.

In your sentence, spontan is an adjective, and no extra copula verb is needed.

Literally, mengikut skrip means following a script.

• mengikut = following / according to
• skrip = script

So the phrase means something like:

• scripted
• according to a script
• following a script

In natural English, the whole contrast is:

• spontan atau mengikut skrip
• spontaneous or scripted

The root word is ikut, which means follow.

Adding the meN- prefix creates an active verb:

• ikut → mengikut

In many contexts:

• ikut can be more general or conversational
• mengikut often sounds more formal or clearly verbal, especially in writing

Also, mengikut can mean according to, not just physically follow.

Examples:

• mengikut peraturan = according to the rules
• mengikut jadual = according to the schedule
• mengikut skrip = according to the script

So here, mengikut skrip is a natural written-style phrase.

Yes, that is a very natural translation.

Even though spontan literally means spontaneous, in this context English often prefers:

• improvised
• off the cuff
• unscripted

So these are all possible, depending on style:

• They discussed whether the joke was spontaneous or scripted.
• They discussed whether the joke was improvised or scripted.
• They discussed whether the banter was spontaneous or scripted.

All are reasonable.

Usually, yes: mereka means they.

But unlike English, Malay does not mark gender, so mereka can refer to any group of people regardless of sex or gender.

Also, Malay verbs do not change depending on the subject, so:

• Saya membincangkan = I discuss / discussed
• Dia membincangkan = he/she discusses / discussed
• Mereka membincangkan = they discuss / discussed

The verb stays the same.

Malay does not mark tense on the verb in the same way English does.

So Mereka membincangkan... could mean:

• They discuss...
• They are discussing...
• They discussed...

The correct English tense depends on context.

Malay usually shows time through:

• context
• time words such as semalam (yesterday), sekarang (now), esok (tomorrow)
• aspect markers like sedang, telah, akan

Since there is no time marker here, the sentence by itself is tense-neutral.

Yes, in most cases atau means or.

In this sentence it links the two alternatives:

• spontan atau mengikut skrip
• spontaneous or scripted

This is very straightforward. The full structure is:

• sama ada ... atau ... = whether ... or ...

So atau is the second half of that pattern.

A useful breakdown is:

• Mereka = they
• membincangkan = discussed / discuss
• sama ada = whether
• seloroh itu = the joke / that joke
• spontan = spontaneous
• atau = or
• mengikut skrip = according to a script / scripted

So the structure is:

Subject + verb + whether-clause

More literally:

• They discussed whether that joke spontaneous or according to script

Natural English:

• They discussed whether the joke was spontaneous or scripted.

It sounds mostly neutral to slightly formal, especially because of words like:

• membincangkan
• sama ada
• mengikut skrip

A more casual spoken version might use simpler wording, for example:

• Mereka bincang sama ada seloroh tu spontan atau dah dirancang.

But the original sentence is perfectly natural and clear, especially in writing or more careful speech.