46490
Context: a boy has had a troubled life. His father used to beat him up, but
then committed suicide. Then he was almost killed by his mother's yakuza
boyfriend. His mother is now in prison and doesn't want to see him. The boy is
now basically alone, but has just joined a boxing gym. His boxing trainer
tells him (the sentence is split into two separate balloons, see the [whole
page here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Mdx0r.jpg)):

> 他の生き方は半端でもクソでも / いくらでも命の保証あるんだぞ？

First, I don't understand if 半端 and クソ refer to 他の生き方 or to 命の保証. And what is
the meaning of 命の保証? "Life certainties"?

Also, I don't understand the actual value of 他. "Another way of life" compared
what? To the one he had before?

I think the trainer is trying to cheer the boy up after he has been rejected
by his mother. My translation attempt:

> Do other ways of living have any certainties? Even shitty or imperfect ones?

[Here's the previous page too](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TKiad.jpg) for more
context.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-12T00:04:40.707
46487
2017-04-14T09:47:12.777
2017-04-13T14:19:42.060
17797
17797
question
translation meaning words manga
Meaning of 命の保証
> 「他{た・ほか}の生{い}き方{かた}は半端{はんぱ}でもクソでも / いくらでも命{いのち}の保証{ほしょう}あるんだぞ？」

「命の保証」 means " **guarantee of your safety** " and it is used fairly often in
fiction.

> I don't understand if 半端 and クソ refer to 他の生き方 or to 命の保証.

It is the former.

> "Another way of living, how shitty and incomplete it might be, will (at
> least) fully guarantee your safety."

The question mark used in the original expresses the speaker's intention of
asking the listener to choose between the present way of living and another.
You as a reader is expected to employ a rising intonation at the end of the
sentence even though it is not a question grammatically.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-12T00:28:22.147
46490
2017-04-12T06:39:36.260
2017-04-12T06:39:36.260
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answer