The same idea applies to other familiar phrases, as the article, Is It Correct to Say “You Will Be Missed” demonstrates. So, while one should not habitually incorporate passive language in their writing, “welcomed” as a passive participle can serve as a valid literary tool to direct the reader’s attention toward a point the writer wants to communicate expressly. In each of these cases, the emphasis shifts. Passive: All are welcomed to the party at city hall.Active: The party at city hall welcomes everyone.In this case, there is an emphasis on the fact that ALL are welcomed, while a more active phrase, such as “We welcome all,” communicates an emphasis on the one doing the welcoming (in this case, “we”). So how should one use it? Using the Passive Voice for Emphasisīecause the passive phrase breaks the typical rule of sentence formation, one can use it to emphasize the object. However, while the phrase is grammatically correct, the fact that it is passive makes the sentence naturally more challenging to understand and use ( source). Instead of an active voice structure that dictates that the sentence functions with a subject (purple), verb (red), and object (dark green), as in “I welcome you all,” the passive voice structure takes the form of an object, verb, and participle adjective (dark blue). “All” functions as an object of the action instead of a subject acting or having a stated condition. However, “welcome” as a past participle adjective changes the grammatical function of “all” in the sentence. The fact that “All are welcome” is a past participle describing “all” and connected by a linking verb means “welcome” functions as a participle adjective (also known as a subject complement). This causes confusion since it derives from the more common “All are welcome,” which results in the past participle “welcomed” being incorrect in use, though it is correct in grammar. So, in short, while “All are welcomed” is grammatically correct, English speakers do not commonly use it. The context of “All are welcomed” insinuates that “welcomed,” in this case, is functioning as a past participle adjective. However, there are some nuances to the word that differ depending on the surrounding context. The fact that the definition has remained the same results in welcome not changing its fundamental meaning, regardless of the sentence. This meaning continues to remain the same today. From Old English, the term does not undergo much change, especially regarding its original meaning.Īs a result, “welcome,” though seemingly complex, has always had a relatively uniform meaning.ĭeriving from the roots willa, meaning pleasure, and cuma, meaning “guest,” the Old English noun “Wilcuma” has a literal meaning of “Welcome guest” ( source). “Welcome” hails from the old English wilcuma, which takes the interjection form of the word, literally meaning “Welcome!” ( source ). This article will define “All are welcomed,” explain the reasoning behind Americans’ preference for “All are welcome,” and compare it to other passive voice phrases. For example, a host may tell his coworkers, “All are welcome to attend the potluck.” Therefore, one should use the more common “All are welcome” to prevent confusion in one’s audience. It is incorrect to say “All are welcomed” because it mixes present and past tenses, although it once experienced common usage as a figure of speech. However, with versatility comes confusion, such as whether it is correct to state that “All are welcomed.” Specific words within the English language are incredibly versatile.
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