How does 何だけど fit in here?

Question

In steins;gate there is this conversation:

• 自分で言いだしておいて 何だけど― 全部のＤメールを取り消すなんて
• ああ結構 重労働だな

The translation says the following:

• " I realize that I was the one who suggested it, but cancelling all those D-mails.. "

• "Yeah, it will be pretty tough" What is the function of 何だけど here? How does it mean "I realize that I was the one who suggested it..." ?

I've also seen 何だけど similarly used in death note "立ち話も何ですから... ここへどうぞ" where it means "Talking while standing is all fine, but come and take a seat", here I can somewhat make sense of it, the 何 implying that 立ち話 is questionable. But I don't understand what's going on in the steins gate conversation...

Answer 1

This usage of 何だけど should be considered as a set phrase meaning it is awkward/weird/strange, indicating some inconsistencies between what was said before and what the speaker is going to say.

Here, a literal translation would be

• 自分で言いだしておいて This is what I proposed myself
• 何だけど― so it is awkward (to add/say this)
• 全部のＤメールを取り消すなんて (are we really going to do such a thing as) cancelling all those d-mails..

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立ち話もなんですから is It is awkward to keep standing while we talk.