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meaning of わけではなし in this sentence

letslearn

先輩
11 Sep 2013
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Hi guys,
I have started a book called かまいたち。
The book is talking about the local doctor and his daughter that is barely making ends meet. This is because the local villagers are so poor and can't pay most of the time.
here is the sentence.
暮らしていけないわけではなし、足りない分は仕立物の内職でもすればおぎなえる
what is わけではなし?how does it effect 暮らしていけない?
I get the feeling the sentence means....
they have to live, so (his daughter) has a home side job as tailor to supplement the living expenditures.
よろしくお願いします.
 
It's a classical form of わけではないし. わけではない is a set phrase.
わけ【訳】
7 〔否定・断定をやわらげて〕
だからといって君が憎い訳ではない
It doesn't mean that I hate you.
訳の英語・英訳 - goo辞書 英和和英

暮らしていけない is negative of 暮らしていける, and has nothing to do with "have to". (You are confusing it with ~てはいけない "mustn't", right?)
 
It's a classical form of わけではないし. わけではない is a set phrase.

訳の英語・英訳 - goo辞書 英和和英

暮らしていけない is negative of 暮らしていける, and has nothing to do with "have to". (You are confusing it with ~てはいけない "mustn't", right?)
暮らしていけない means not to continue on living.
so 暮らしていけないわけではなし does not mean that we can't continue living.
足りない分は仕立物の内職でもすればおぎなえる
from mikesans response.

as for the shortfall, if she does things like part time tailoring she is able to supplement.
 
You got the gist of it, but the nuance is more likely; they can supplement the shortfall with her part time tailoring or something, if needed.
 
You wouldn't expect a small town doctor like the one in the story to have a terribly steady income. The daughter wouldn't need to take in sewing during periods when her father's income was sufficient.
 
You wouldn't expect a small town doctor like the one in the story to have a terribly steady income. The daughter wouldn't need to take in sewing during periods when her father's income was sufficient.
The villagers are very poor they often pay by giving services.
In the book it mentions the saying ない袖は振れんだろう
 
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