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Context: (think you can skip to 0:28 and still get the full context)
https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/gk6iha/it_can_fall_off_clannad/

What's the usage of「とりあえず」in this context? The subtitles translate it as "I guess", but I'm not sure how that fits in with the usual meaning of "first of all", "for now", etc.

Axiaz
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  • I don't think a wise man often say 取り敢えず, he may say まず instead. https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3965/how-to-use-%e3%81%a8%e3%82%8a%e3%81%82%e3%81%88%e3%81%9a-in-sentences and https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/5233/whats-the-difference-between-%e4%b8%80%e5%bf%9c-and-%e3%81%a8%e3%82%8a%e3%81%82%e3%81%88%e3%81%9a –  May 15 '20 at 23:48
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    @SadaharuWakisaka I don't see why とりあえず is an unwise word, and まず makes no sense to me in this context. Did you watch the video and understand what was going on? – naruto May 16 '20 at 02:26

1 Answers1

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とりあえず is used when you do/say something easily done/said before getting to a main difficult part.

  • 仕事の前にとりあえずコーヒーを飲んだ。
    Before my work, I had a cup of coffee first.
  • 説明は難しいですが、とりあえず間違っているとは思います。
    It's hard to explain, but I think it's incorrect anyway.
  • 何を見るかはともかく、とりあえず映画館に行こう。
    Putting aside what to watch, let's go to the theater first.
  • とりあえずでやったことです。
    I did it as a quick fix.
  • とりあえず、安心しました。
    At least, (I can say this now,) I'm relieved.

The use of とりあえず in your video is tricky and atypical, but it comes off to me as "it's not a big deal (to me)" or "I experience this very commonly", as if "its falling" were something he(?) experiences thinking とりあえず. It explains the following exchange, too:

岡崎さんはその、たまに取れるんですか！？
So it... falls every now and then?

と、とりあえず。

とりあえずって！？　そんな簡単に取れてしまうものなんですか！？
"Toriaezu", you say?! It falls off that easily?!

"I guess" is certainly not a dictionary translation, but I cannot think of a better translation...

naruto
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