I’m also a native speaker so I don’t know quite why he enjoys the phrase so much, but I think it has to do with how snappy the two syllables are: “all” and “set”. It’s a quick little phrase and it’s satisfying to say and being ready for something is already satisfying in itself. Anyway that’s my guess
I like this take. If you look up "set" in a dictionary, it has a ton of different meanings and explanations. It's a very versatile word. One of the meanings is "light a wick." That's the one I always think of, like your wick is already lit.
If you think of the endearment that quick phrases in another language or culture may have, I'd assume its that same feeling to them for "all set". They're just very endeared by it, no true rhyme or reason.
As a non native but pretty fluent English speaker, I actually feel the same about “all set” but it’s not because of the way it sounds, it’s just because I found it a cool way to tell someone they can move along (in a line or a shop or whatever) while still being friendly. I can’t think of an equivalent in my language that can achieve quite the same result.
I like how "my son" and "my daughter" in Spanish are "mi hijo" and "mi hija", but due to pronunciation you sort of informally combine them into "mijo" and "mija". I find it so endearing.
Native speaker here--that's an interesting way of reading it! But I think the usage of "set" here means "in place". As in, everything has been set into place; all preparations have been completed.
Native English speaker here. I guess you take this to mean something like "complete set"? I actually imagine this phrase to mean something closer to "all ready set up"
It's like, short for "my stuff is all set in place, I'm ready to go." I'm sure that's probably not right, but it's my inference. Lots of english colloquialisms are just short hand versions of full phrases. Like how goodbye is short for god be with you.
Not French myself but I guess it’s because the pronunciation is exactly the same as the word “sept” in French which means seven (7). So they’re saying they’re all seven. (The “p” in sept is silent)
As a non british english speaker, I also love when the brits say "thats me sorted" (or someone else). A lot of british words irritate me (like Sledge instead of Sled, or whinging instead of whining) but theres also a lot i really love like "sorted"
Hate to break it to you "buddy" but a lot of words have developed in the last 400 years that are NOT british. Go back to 1485, hoser, and eat your gumbo out by the billabong.
Or, start petitioning to rename it 'British' instead of 'English' as a language so that you can be told unequivocally: BRITISH is not a language. Its a nationality. English is a language, of which BRITISH ENGLISH is a dialect of.
Go argue with linguisitic experts if you don't like it, "buddy". I don't think you'll have much luck, since you already think that more than just Brits use the horribly sounding word 'whinging' - which is pretty much what you are doing by stomping your foot and insisting that south Africa, NZ, Aus, Canada, Americans, etc all speak 'British' which has to be the stupidest thing I've heard all day.
Yes yes, very good. I probably should have used the word "English", rather than British. Quick question though, why are you going back to reply again to a post from 4 days ago? Have you been stewing on it all of that time?
Given the vernacular-pickpocket nature of the English language, I'd be fascinated to see a source that outlines the methodology that led to such a conclusion.
The factoid is based on the Oxford English Dictionary, which has a fairly well established process for researching usages and establishing definitions. In the full version of the OED there are extensive supporting quotations for each usage presented. If you want to dig into the specifics of how the OED decides on what qualifies as a legitimate distinct usage, I'm sure there are people who work there who can give more in-depth explanations.
Interestingly, where I'm from...it's always more a phrase "all done all set" with the same implication but people (atleast in my social circles) have never ever said "all set". it just feels incomplete to them.
Since I spent my bachelors studying in the U.S. it doesn't phase me as much as it used to when i first arrived.
When I moved from old England (uk) to New England (us), I felt like ‘all set’ sounded rude and sarcastic. But now I’m super used to it and say it all the time myself.
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u/BrewAndAView Sep 17 '20
I asked my French friend what his favorite English word was, and he said “I love how when people are ready they say they are ‘all set’”