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When people try to encourage others to do certain things, some say, you are welcome to do so. Others say, you are welcomed to do so. Which one is correct? It is my understanding that the speaker is doing the welcoming, and thus the "you" in this sentence is the recipient of the welcoming act. This led me to think "you are welcomed" to be more appropriate. However, I hear people using the former so often that I start to doubt myself. Any hints will be much appreciated. Thanks.
Just to clarify, I am not asking about the standard reply to expressions of gratitude.
Welcome.
In that context, I fall firmly in the camp of "you are welcome to ..." I would reserve "to be welcomed" to refer to the recipient of arrival rituals. So I would say "You are welcome to anything you find in the refrigerator"; "You are welcome to come over for dinner any night next week".
If you would like an explanation, you are welcome to try.
I hope you feel warmly welcomed to the discussion group.
Glenn said: In that context, I fall firmly in the camp of "you are welcome to …" I would reserve "to be welcomed" to refer to the recipient of arrival rituals.
But isn't it more a case of adjective vs. verb than who is the recipient? For example:
You are always welcomed by the port authority.
I am always welcomed by the port authority.
You are welcome to enter the country.
I am welcome to enter the country.
Potato, potato. Yes, welcomed is always the verb, and the other examples are adjectives. In your first example, the recipient of the welcoming actions is "you"; in your second example, the recipient of the welcoming actions is "I."
While the verbal uses refer to arrival rituals, neither of your examples with welcome (adjective) actually involve any action. In general in these adjectival uses the thing that one is welcome to is not yet realized. One is generally welcome to something or to do something that one has not yet taken or done.
Sometimes I have taken something then been told I was welcome to it. How was I to know it was my brother's birthday cake?
Heimhenge said But isn't it more a case of adjective vs. verb than who is the recipient?
I think so.
1. You are welcome to attend. adjective
2. You are welcomed to attend. verb Compare: You are invited to attend.
Variation on 2: [The host] welcomes you to attend. [The host] invites you to attend.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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