'to take back what one has said/to eat one's words'

Greek translation: παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	\'to take back what one has said/to eat one\'s words\'
Greek translation:	παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ
Entered by:	Hellinas

14:06 Jun 28, 2011

English to Greek translations [Non-PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / cliche

English term or phrase: 'to take back what one has said/to eat one's words'

Two phrases meaning approximately 'to take back what one has said/to eat one's words'. Are να πάρω πίσω ο,τι είπα/καταπίνω τα λόγια μου καταπίνω both used whereas καταπίνω τη γλώσσα μου has quite a different meaning viz. 'to be tongue-tied/δεν ξέρω τι να πω?

Hellinas KudoZ activity Questions: 492 (none open) (4 without valid answers) (27 closed without grading) Answers: 0
Local time: 15:59

παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ

Explanation:
''To take back what I said/ eat my words'' means that I said something that I regret and wish I hadn't said, whereas ''to be tongue tied'' means that I am speechless, that I have nothing to say, because I can't find the words (as if my tongue were tied in knots).

Selected response from:

Eleftheria P
Local time: 17:59

Grading comment

Thanks to all for their invaluable help and to Eleni for her very instructive note. She is being, and has been, very helpful in the matter of school slang. My book of idioms is often unreliable - it gave καταπίνω τα λόγια μου -yet another instance where it is outdated or just plain wrong.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +3

παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ

Eleftheria P

παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, μασάω τα λόγια μου

Olga Hatzigeorgiou

Answers

10 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ

Eleftheria P
Local time: 17:59
Native speaker of:

Greek

Grading comment

3 hrs confidence:

παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, μασάω τα λόγια μου

Explanation:
μπορούμε να το πούμε έτσι, γιατί έχουμε μετανιώσει για αυτά που είπαμε

Olga Hatzigeorgiou
Greece
Local time: 17:59
Native speaker of: Greek

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'to take back what one has said/to eat one's words'

Greek translation: παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ

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'to take back what one has said/to eat one's words'

Greek translation: παίρνω πίσω αυτά που είπα, ανακαλώ

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