aage naath ...

[RAH]

> "(na) aage naath na piichhe paghaa (pagahaa)"
> "(Neither) a nose-ring in front, nor a tail-rope behind."

> The initial "na" in neither-nor constructions is VERY commonly omitted-- I
> can think of countless other examples in proverbs (e.g., jaan na pahcaan
> baRii biibii salaam), poetry, and common speech.  (Whereas in an if-then
> or when-then construction, the "to" is almost never omitted.)

The above is cent per cent correct.
RAH goofed, but the dictionary he mentioned didn't. The dictionary
assumed that he would understand that the second "na" echoed a dropped
"na". It's a good dictionary. RAH, on the other hand, . . .

Gratefully,
Bob Hueckstedt

Robert A. Hueckstedt, Associate Professor of Indic Languages
Asian Studies Centre, 328 Fletcher Argue, University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/asian_studies
phone 1 204 474-6427 fax 1 204 474-7601