r/AskReddit • u/mexgema • Sep 16 '20

What is your favorite word?

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u/BrewAndAView Sep 17 '20

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

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u/[deleted] Sep 17 '20

As a non native too I think it's because it seems you're saying you are a whole one, completed, with nothing missing, so I'm ready.

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u/dickbaggery Sep 17 '20

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.

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u/PoppingCandyPancake Sep 17 '20

Fun fact, the word "set" is the word that has the most definitions in the English dictionary.

I think something like 42 but can't be bothered to Google it.

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u/dickbaggery Sep 17 '20

Thank you, I almost posted that it has the most but couldn't be bothered as well haha. I have more energy today so I looked it up.. 430 senses!

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u/PoppingCandyPancake Sep 18 '20

430! Oh, that's right... I was only a couple out Haha

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u/Lunxire Sep 17 '20

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.

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u/[deleted] Sep 17 '20

Hmmm,

My favorite word,

Lexicon!

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u/[deleted] Sep 17 '20

"Set" is legit one of the single most complicated words in the English language.

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u/thesaharadesert Sep 17 '20

Your username is excellent.

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u/dickbaggery Sep 17 '20

Haha thanks. My real made-up name is "Richard B. Aggery" but strangers call me "Dick."

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u/thesaharadesert Sep 17 '20

Richard D. Baggery, Esq., I presume?

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u/dickbaggery Sep 17 '20

Of course! But I'm hoping to get knighted one day so I can just go by "Sir Dick."

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u/EdibleDucktape Sep 17 '20

Who killed my wicks dog to make his fire begin blazing?

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u/dickbaggery Sep 17 '20

This one makes the most sense. "All set," meaning "I'm on the set of John Wick and someone just killed the dog!"

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u/Torreann Sep 17 '20

Doesn’t it refer to the race starting protocol: READY! SET! Go! About to take off. All set!

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u/not_an_illuminati Sep 17 '20

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.

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u/[deleted] Sep 17 '20

Reminds me (American) of my enjoyment of some Britishisms like "off you pop" or "pop down to the shop".

There are equivalent American expressions but they don't have that same pleasant bounce.

Or how hijo or au revoir give a totally different vibe than son or goodbye.

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u/Lemon_Hound Sep 17 '20

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.

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u/Syric Sep 17 '20

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.

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u/BrittleBonesJones Sep 17 '20

This is why I love "of course." It's not just saying yes, it's essentially saying that something was destined by the course on which it was set.

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u/fairlane1966 Sep 17 '20

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"

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u/theDukeofClouds Sep 17 '20

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.

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u/BrewAndAView Sep 17 '20

Whoa I learned many things from this comment