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00:11 Jun 21, 2010
English to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase:As the call, so the echo.
No context provided. What does this saying mean to native speakers of English? British/American/Canadian/Australian, etc. feedback welcome.
I personally like the more contemporary "what goes around, comes around," but all things considered, I believe this is the best suggestion. Thank you, all. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
The film about Vietnam with this title was made in 2005, but I found it in a dictionary of European proverbs published in 1998.
Concise dictionary of European proverbs - Google Books Result
Emanuel Strauss - 1998 - Literary Criticism - 491 pages
543 — as the call, so the echo 543 Eng: as the call, so the echo as the question, so the answer as you give out, so you must take in again Scots: as you ...
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0415160502...
We have a proverb in German which literally translates: "As you shout into the forest, so the sound will come back".
While the meaning is similar to what Kim suggested, it is a bit more narrow, actually referring to the tone of speaking (or manner of treatment) only: You talk to a person (treat someone) in a nasty tone and he/she will talk back to you (treat you) the same way.
I understand Kim's proverb to be more general, along the lines of "You are responsible for the consequences of your actions".
Not sure which one it is in this case, thought.
Should I take this to mean that the call and echo version is not a standard English saying?
I don't think so. The phrase is used as the title of a movie about an American surgeon in Vietnam. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0839729/
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Answers
6 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +4
as the call, so the echo.
you reap what you sow
Explanation: Vietnamese proverbs
Nhân nào, quả nấy
As the call, so the echo - "As you sow so shall you reap"
Kim Metzger Mexico Local time: 20:11 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 55
Grading comment
I personally like the more contemporary "what goes around, comes around," but all things considered, I believe this is the best suggestion. Thank you, all.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Kim.
Asker: Should I take this to mean that the call and echo version is not a standard English saying?
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +4
