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Konna ikari ni warawa ga hirumu to demo? (Fairy Tail manga)

In this sentence does that mean,

Should I be scared/afraid of this (little) anger?
(a humiliation/mocking intent is directed in this sentence)

or,

Do I need to be scared of this kinda anger?

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2 Answers 2

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とでも、used at the end of a sentence, can turn the statement into a question with a sentiment expressing resentment, astonishment, antagonism or just plain emphasis.

そんな[怒]{いか}りに[妾]{わらわ}が[怯]{ひる}むとでも?
And you think that anger would make me flinch?

Examples:

「それが実証できるとでも?」
`You're going to verify THAT?'

あなたに言われないと分からないとでも?
Like I need you to tell me that.

「ほかになりようがあるとでも?」と女王さま。
'What would you have it?' said the Queen. (from Alice in Wonderland)

同性愛者ですが何か?それが犯罪だとでも?
So what if I am gay? Is it a crime?

Source:

http://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=とでも

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と is the quoting particle, でも means "or something" (listing an example just as in お茶でもいかが?), and the verb is omitted.

In this case it is 思った?, but in other situations it might be 言うつもり? or something else.

そんな怒りに妾が怯むとでも?
(Did you think) that I would recoil from that kind of anger or something?

The "or something" can have various effects as it does in English, trivializing the idea, emphasizing it, making it sound far-fetched or ridiculous, etc.

As always, there are various ways to translate this and there is no need to be absolutely literal, but とでも is nothing more or less than the sum of its parts.

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  • Are you sure it is that specific meaning of でも?
    – yadokari
    Jun 21, 2013 at 23:15
  • That's how I've always understood it, yes. I'd be surprised (but interested) to hear that it is a different meaning.
    – Hyperworm
    Jun 21, 2013 at 23:19

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