Lang time
Also spelled: Long time, Longtime, Lang taim
Meaning
An exclamation used on meeting someone you haven't seen in a while, roughly 'long time no see', but it also functions as a warm standalone greeting expressing that the reunion is overdue and welcome. Often stretched into 'lang time mi nuh see yuh'.
Examples
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“Lang time! Weh yuh deh all now?”
Long time! Where have you been all this while?
'Weh yuh deh' means 'where are you' with no copula before the locative.
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“Lang time mi nuh see yuh face, mi bredda.”
It's been a long time since I've seen your face, my brother.
'Nuh' here is the negator; the full form is affectionate.
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“A lang time now mi a wait pon yuh call.”
It's been a long time now that I've been waiting for your call.
Here 'a' is the continuous marker on 'wait'; different, more literal use of the phrase.
Origin
From English 'long time', abbreviated from the pidgin construction 'long time no see' that spread through global maritime and trade contact.
How it's used
Warm and informal, used between people who already know each other. As a greeting it implies genuine gladness; using it with a stranger makes no sense.