‘x’+ma+‘y’:
“neither ‘x’ nor ‘y’ but somehow (is or appears to be) both”
1. ’khyug ma tshugs
“neither-cursive-nor-printed” (Bod rgya)
2. bya ma bum
“neither-bird-nor-vase,” i.e. a special vase (Bod rgya)
3. bya ma bye’u
“neither-bird-nor-chick” (Bod rgya)
4. bya ma byi
“neither-bird-nor-cat,” i.e. bat (Bod rgya)
5. cha ma ya
“neither-pair-nor-piece” (Bod rgya)
6. dkar ma nag
“neither-white-nor-black” (Bod rgya)
7. gangs ma char
“neither-snow-nor-rain” (Bod rgya)
8. gsa’ ma gzig
“neither-gsa’?-nor-leopard”? (Bod rgya)
9. gzhas ma shags
“neither-song-nor-quarrel” (Bod rgya)
10. kha ma char “neither-snow-nor-rain” (Bod
rgya)
11. khrag ma rnag “neither-blood-nor-puss” (Bod
rgya)
12. ra ma lug “neither-goat-nor-sheep” (Bod
rgya)
13. rong ma ’brog
“neither-valley-nor-highland”? (Bod rgya)
14. sa ma ’brog “neither-field-nor-highland”? (Bod
rgya)
15. sa ma rdo “neither-soil-nor-stone” (Bod
rgya)
16. sha ma tshil “neither-meat-nor-fat” (Bod
rgya)
17. ya ma zung “neither-single-nor-pair” (Bod
rgya)
18. yul ma ’brog
“neither-village-nor-pastureland” (Bod rgya)
19. bya ma rta “neither-bird-nor-horse,” a
messenger, or a spy?
It seems to be the same in English. For example, "He was neither man nor beast" can be taken to mean "he cannot be called either a man or a beast, because he has elements of both man and beast."
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