أهل مكة أدرى بشعابها

English translation: set a thief to catch a thief

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Arabic term or phrase:أهل مكة أدرى بشعابها
English translation:set a thief to catch a thief
Entered by: jankopolo

06:35 Apr 10, 2009
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Arabic term or phrase: أهل مكة أدرى بشعابها
المثل
jankopolo
Local time: 01:45
set a thief to catch a thief
Explanation:
طبعا مع الاختلاف والفارق في المعنى الحرفي ولكن المضمون واحد وهو أن الرجوع إلى ذوي العلم بالشيء أفضل من غيرهم

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Note added at 4 hrs (2009-04-10 10:58:30 GMT)
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معذرة قصدت ذوي العلم بالشيء أدرى به من غيرهم
Selected response from:

Rasha El-Gabry
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:45
Grading comment
شكرا
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1set a thief to catch a thief
Rasha El-Gabry
5the people of a place are the best to know its small roads
Murad AWAD
5The Locals Know Best
Hassan Al-Haifi (wordforword)
4Mecca people more aware of its surroundings (than others)
halani
4The people of Mecca know the twists
Taleb Ebrahim - Arabic - English - Turkish Professional Conference Interpreter-Translator
4It takes one to know one
William Phelps


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
the people of a place are the best to know its small roads


Explanation:
the people of a place are the best to know its small/secret roads

Murad AWAD
Germany
Local time: 01:45
Native speaker of: Native in TurkishTurkish, Native in ArabicArabic
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Mecca people more aware of its surroundings (than others)


Explanation:
Mecca people more aware of its surroundings (than others)

halani
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 04:45
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 3
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
set a thief to catch a thief


Explanation:
طبعا مع الاختلاف والفارق في المعنى الحرفي ولكن المضمون واحد وهو أن الرجوع إلى ذوي العلم بالشيء أفضل من غيرهم

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Note added at 4 hrs (2009-04-10 10:58:30 GMT)
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معذرة قصدت ذوي العلم بالشيء أدرى به من غيرهم

Rasha El-Gabry
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
شكرا

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mohammad Abu Amara: أحسنت يا آنسة رشا
10 hrs
  -> شكرا جزيلا يا أستاذ محمد
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
The Locals Know Best


Explanation:
There are actually a lot of terms; such as;
leave it to the locals to help you find the way
Only the locals are best at guiding you through the area
The suggestion is found in the link below

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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-04-10 12:33:50 GMT)
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Actually, in the links below.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2009-04-10 12:37:10 GMT)
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Here is one that comes in the form of an advice:
"Know what the locals know, wherever you go"
http://www.plantingstories.com/Press Cuttings/BestBikingRoad...



    Reference: http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/gater/fall97/sept11/...
    Reference: http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/34/?p=article&sid=212&id=219761
Hassan Al-Haifi (wordforword)
Local time: 03:45
Native speaker of: Arabic
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2 days 3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The people of Mecca know the twists


Explanation:
The people of Mecca know the twists

Taleb Ebrahim - Arabic - English - Turkish Professional Conference Interpreter-Translator
Türkiye
Local time: 03:45
Native speaker of: Arabic
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3 days 7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
It takes one to know one


Explanation:
A somewhat slang interpretation, but gets to the meaning.

William Phelps
Local time: 20:45
Native speaker of: English
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