diamond cuts diamond

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solbjerg
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diamond cuts diamond

Post by solbjerg »

Hi
Is there by any chance someone that knows another expression for "diamond cuts diamond" in English?
In Danish it is called "høg over høg" (meaning literally "hawk above/over hawk")
Thank you!
Cheers
solbjerg
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ANTHOS
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by ANTHOS »

I've never heard of such an expression - to me, it's just a statement.

How is it used? Can you give an example ?
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solbjerg
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by solbjerg »

Hi Anthos
It is from an Indian fable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Cut_Diamond

I have myself added the expression in the English ↔ Danish freelang dictionary as:
høg over høg = diamond cut diamond, involved intricate situation
høg over høg situation = wheels within wheels

But haven't sent the update yet, - I usually wait until I have accumulated a couple of thousand more words.
It is a little bit akin to "set a thief to catch a thief"

I keep feeling that I know of another expression, but the "sometimers" syndrom has hit me hard :-)

Thank you
Cheers
solbjerg
ANTHOS wrote:I've never heard of such an expression - to me, it's just a statement.

How is it used? Can you give an example ?
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ANTHOS
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by ANTHOS »

great story ! that's what I call smart !

"set a thief to catch a thief" doesn't really go because one of the men is fundamentally honest.

i'll try to think of another suitable expression or idiom
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solbjerg
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by solbjerg »

Hi Anthos
As far as I remember the one that comes up with the scam say at some point that both he and the dishonest one are considered not trustworthy by the village people?
So his agenda must be to pull a fast one at his competitors expense - or how do you see it.
But it certainly sounds as if he is a compassionate man.
It all comes out fine for the honest trusting man though.

"Høg over Høg"
It is like a situation where everyone say they will support something or other, but each of them has their own personal agenda and tries hard to come out on top.

Thank you Anthos!
Cheers
solbjerg

p.s. law of the jungle? survival of the fittest? :-) dog eats dog?
prey predator progression?
infinite regress (not necessarily vicious)?
cutthroat competition
web of cunning/deceit/intrigue
(what a tangled web they weave)
free-for-all, every man for himself, shenanigans, artful dodging, stack the deck situation, ascendancy, double dealings, Machiavellian dealings, cozenage, finagling, trumpery, legerdemain, ......?

But still no AHA! :-)


ANTHOS wrote:great story ! that's what I call smart !

"set a thief to catch a thief" doesn't really go because one of the men is fundamentally honest.

i'll try to think of another suitable expression or idiom
Last edited by solbjerg on 12 Oct 2009 00:56, edited 2 times in total.
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pc2
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by pc2 »

salutations,

we found a more complete version of the story here:
http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/337.htm
this makes us think of two expressions:
"fight fire with fire"
it means: to repay an action with another one of the same level.
"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
it means: to repay a crime with the same level of damage.
Merci de corriger notre français si nécessaire.
Paulo Marcos -- & -- Claudio Marcos
Brasil/Brazil/Brésil
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solbjerg
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by solbjerg »

Thank you !!
Both expessions useful, but not quite precise translations of the Danish ideom.
Hard to find an exact expression that means exactly the same as the Danish expression though. If I come up with one I'll tell you :-)
Thank you for the link too!!
Cheers
solbjerg

pc2 wrote:salutations,

we found a more complete version of the story here:
http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/337.htm
this makes us think of two expressions:
"fight fire with fire"
it means: to repay an action with another one of the same level.
"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
it means: to repay a crime with the same level of damage.
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pc2
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by pc2 »

solbjerg wrote:Thank you !!
Both expessions useful, but not quite precise translations of the Danish ideom.
Hard to find an exact expression that means exactly the same as the Danish expression though. If I come up with one I'll tell you :-)
Thank you for the link too!!
Cheers
solbjerg
you're welcome!
the problem is certainly that each expression has a cultural context of its own. sometimes it is even impossible to find an equivalent expression.
at least you have "diamond cuts diamond".
Merci de corriger notre français si nécessaire.
Paulo Marcos -- & -- Claudio Marcos
Brasil/Brazil/Brésil
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MikeChongbro
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by MikeChongbro »

"You can only cut a diamond with another diamond." I think that is the verbatum American English ideom. Why do I remember this quote coming from maybe a 007:James Bond movie. Moonraker? Is that the one with diamonds?
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ANTHOS
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by ANTHOS »

How about "what goes around comes around"

Otherwise something along the lines "you have to think like a criminal to catch a criminal" ?
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ANTHOS
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by ANTHOS »

Or "you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all of the time?"
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solbjerg
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by solbjerg »

Hi Anthos
Thanks for your suggestions - have something to do with it - but not quite right - to get it just as short as I can I lean towards "dog eats dog", - if just they had had "hawk above hawk" it would have been so easy :-)
But diamond cut diamond is alright too.
Thanks again for thinking about it!!
Cheers
solbjerg

ANTHOS wrote:How about "what goes around comes around"

Otherwise something along the lines "you have to think like a criminal to catch a criminal" ?
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MikeChongbro
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by MikeChongbro »

When it comes back to you, your going to get what you deserve.
If you can't beat them, join them. :sun:
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solbjerg
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Re: diamond cuts diamond

Post by solbjerg »

Hi Mike :D
Yes I suspect so! ;)
Cheers
solbjerg

MikeChongbro wrote:When it comes back to you, your going to get what you deserve.
If you can't beat them, join them. :sun:
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