set up/off a debate

[joham]

His suggestion set up/off a heated debate.

Do both adverbs work for this context?

Thank you in advance.

[riquecohen]

His suggestion set up/off a heated debate.

Do both adverbs work for this context?

Thank you in advance.

Use ''set off" in this context.

[joham]

Thanks, riquecohen.
Then how about 'The fact that many college graduates get lower salary than some physical labourers has set up/off a heated debate'? Only 'set off' can be used?
(I read the sentence 'Their negligence set up a chain reaction that resulted in extensive damage' and so got confused about whether we could use 'set up' in a context like this.)
Thanks again.

[freezeframe]

Thanks, riquecohen.
Then how about 'The fact that many college graduates get lower salary than some physical labourers has set up/off a heated debate'? Only 'set off' can be used? Yes.
(I read the sentence 'Their negligence set up a chain reaction that resulted in extensive damage' and so got confused about whether we could use 'set up' in a context like this.)
Thanks again.

You can replace set off with started or initiated. The fact that college graduates have lower salaries started a debate.

Set up implies that it didn't just start the debate but created the situation that is the cause for debate.
In your second sentence the negligence didn't just start the reaction but it created a situation (1) that caused the chain reaction (2).

If I know that John gets really upset over how he earns less money even though he has a college degree and I decide to introduce him to my plumber friend, Amanda, and then casually mention Amanda's high income, I'm setting up the argument (or debate?).

[Allen165]

NOT A TEACHER.

You could also go for "touch off."

[joham]

Thank you very much, all of you.
Could you give some other examples of noun phrases as the object of 'set up' which is used to mean 'make happen'?
I looked it up in several dictionaries, and all have only the collocation of 'set up a chain reaction'.
Thank you again.

[Mr_Ben]

Thank you very much, all of you.
Could you give some examples of noun phrases as the object of 'set up' which is used to mean 'make happen'?
Thank you again.

We can set up a meeting with my boss and see if he has any suggestions.