Most people have favorites. We may have more than one favorite, but a favorite is something that we’re especially fond of. However, there are many misconceptions about this word and some pieces of unknown information that swirl around it like fog. So with ten points to clear up the confusion and provide helpful definitions and examples, we’ll explore what favorites truly mean in the context of human psychology — as well as what kinds of things could be considered to be favorite things.
Ten Clarifications On Favorites :
1. Favorite is a noun and can be used in its singular or plural form
Many people read the word favorite as if it were a verb. However, in the English language, favorite is a noun. So when we use the word favorite and write it out, we’re actually writing:
2. Favorites can be anything like with no special distinction
So, so many people make the mistake of saying ” My favorite drink is a beer” when what they actually mean to say is ” My favorite drink is beer.” Of course, many people would agree that they like one type of drink more than others and they would be able to distinguish between a lager and an ale on sight but those two things are completely different drinks, completely different types of drinks it’s honestly not even possible for someone to have a favorite drink.
3. Favorites are sometimes something that we like greatly, however, they are equally often something that we like little to no
We have to be careful here because some people may think that saying “I like this drink” means they’re a fan of the drink but no. It’s more of a distinction between liking something and preferring it over all others. For example, if you said: ” I prefer coffee over tea,” you’re saying you actively prefer one thing to all others so there is the possibility of someone thinking you’re not an avid fan of coffee.
4. Favorite is not something that you can be friends with, nor is it something you can be “in love” with
If you’re a fan of anything in particular, then you’re a fan of the thing in general. It’s the same as saying: ” I like pizza.” This doesn’t mean that you’re in love with pizza or anything. It means only that you have some interest in pizza and find it to be an enjoyable thing to consume and enjoy but it doesn’t mean that your relationship with pizza is any different than any other interest or passion.
5. Favorite is not just reserved for material things
There’s the common (and all too often, incorrect) misconception that a favorite is only used to refer to material things. However, there are many other types of favorite people, processes, places and experiences — only limited by the imagination. For example, I have a favorite author that I enjoy reading and he’s not my favorite material thing.
If someone that I’m in a relationship with said ” My favorite place to visit in London” then this would be the same as if they were to say: ” My boyfriend’s favorite place to visit in London.” And in both cases, the destination of the person’s choice was an experience, not some place you could go, buy or find.
6. The word “favorite” has no age limits
I am a fan of many things but it does not mean that as my life progresses, these things become less important. If I had to say which things are my favorites of all time and the present, then this would be the same as saying “My favorite Kubrick film is A Clockwork Orange (which was made in 1971) but now I prefer his latest film, Eyes Wide Shut .” It’s a bit of a discrepancy but it’s not completely unlikely.
7. Favorite is not a thing that can be created or made
If you say “I made this cake” that means you physically fashioned the cake through some kind of action — it could have been baking, or sculpting with clay, or knitting with wool — many different possibilities exist. However, if you say “I made this cake and I like it”, then this would mean that you like the cake as it is and not what it has been created through.
8. Favorites don’t have a preferred form
In the previous examples, we have described those people who say “My favorite ice cream is chocolate but now I prefer vanilla” as people who have a preference for one flavor over all others.
There is nothing wrong with this but, if someone felt the need to state that their favorite ice cream was vanilla and chocolate, then they would have to go and work through their entire ice cream repertoire until they found one that was actually better than the original flavor. There’s nothing wrong with doing this but it’s not something that can be said without any kind of reasoning behind it.
9. Favorites are not negative things
If you say “I don’t like coffee” or ” I hate pizza” there is no ambiguity in these phrases . To hate something means to dislike it — there is no ambiguity because you’re expressing your displeasure. However, if you say “I dislike coffee” or “I dislike pizza” then you’re creating a negative feeling around those things. You see, there is a difference between saying: “I don’t like pizza ” and saying: “My favourite ice cream is chocolate .”
10. The word favorite can have one of two meanings, either quality or quantity
As we have seen, a favorite can be anything from your favorite film to your favorite author. However, the word favorite can be used as a synonym for quality (e.g. Seth Rogan is my favorite actor) or quantity.
