Re: Tok Pisin: _bilong_ & _long_

    Edward De Bono: "One of the most powerful words I have come across in any
language is the word 'bilong' which is to be found in Pidgin in Papua New
Guinea. The word has nothing to do with property or possession but simply
indicates a perceptual field -   its very lack of specificity is its
strength."

    Mark Sebba describes _bilong_ as "a relationship between two nouns, e.g.
possessor and possessed, a personal or family relationship, or a relationship
of appropriateness, e.g.:
        _laip bilong famili_   'family life'
        _Ol opisa bilong Melanesin Envairnmen Faudesen_
                            ' all officers of the M.E.F.'
        _...i stap tu bilong givim toktok_   '...are there too in order to
give talks'  "

_long_ on the other hand describes "a relationship between a noun and a
location in time and space, i.e. a place or a period, or a comparision, e.g.:
        _ol meri long kantri_  'women in the country'
        _bung i bin stat long Mande_   'the meeting began on Monday'
        _toktok long hevi bilong helt_    'talk about the difficulties of heal
th'
        _moa long 40 meri_  'more than 40 women'  "

personal comment: I think that the above concepts could be good in a conlang
:)

    zHANg