We welcome the government to build another school in this area.

[joham]

We welcome the government to build another school in this area.

Is this sentence fine? I mean, can we use the construction of 'welcome sb to do sth', please?

 

[Matthew Wai]

We welcome the government's decision to build another school in this area.

 

[tedmc]

I think "to welcome somebody to do something" is common.

 

[Rover_KE]

No, it isn't.

'You are welcome to visit us anytime' is common.

 

[tedmc]

It is, according to fraze.it.

welcome to participate:
http://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=welcome+to+participate&l=0

welcome to bring:
http://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=welcome+to+bring&l=0&t=0&ffo=false&findid=-1&ff=

welcome to join:
http://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=welcome+to+join&l=0&t=0&ffo=false&findid=-1&ff=

welcome to come
http://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=welcome+to+come&l=0&t=0&ffo=false&findid=-1&ff=

These are others.

 

[Matthew Wai]

The examples shown in the above post are 'someone is welcome to do something' instead of 'welcome someone to do something', which the OP was asking about.

I think "to welcome somebody to do something" is common.

I think its equivalent in your native language is common.

 

[tedmc]

I think "to welcome somebody to do something" is common.

I have a follow-up question:

Is the above usage just "not common" or is it also not correct? If it is not correct, why can't it be used that way?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Can you provide an example where it can be used correctly?

 

[tedmc]

Can you provide an example where it can be used correctly?

You are not answering my question. If I know for sure, I would not have asked the question.
Anyway, there's the sentence posted by OP. Does "not common" mean "not correct"?

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think it is common to ask a questioner for examples on this forum, as the OP has provided an example, where ''s decision' is needed for it to be correct.

 

[Rover_KE]

The word 'welcome' as a transitive verb is used like this:

'We welcome you to our town.'
'Hamish welcomed Fiona with open arms.'
'The peaceful villagers will not welcome the noisy hoards of tourists.'
'The local authority welcomed the government's offer to build a new school.'

As an adjective, it's used thus:

'You are welcome to use our facilities free of charge.'
'As a vegan, I did not feel welcome at KFC.'
'The robin is a welcome visitor to our garden.'

 

[tedmc]

Back to the OP's sentence:
We welcome the government to build another school in this area.

Isn't "welcome" being used transitively as a verb in the above sentence?

Of course, you can change that to a gerund:
We welcome the government building another school in this area.

Or it can be rewritten in adjective form:
The government is welcome to build another school in this area.

I think the meaning is slightly different if it is rewritten:
We welcome the government's decision/plan/action to build another school in the area.

 

[Matthew Wai]

When you welcome someone, 'welcome' refers to definition#1 at http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/welcome_1
And this definition does not fit the OP's example.

The government is welcome to build another school in this area.

I take it to mean that the government has not decided but has been invited to do so.

 

[Matthew Wai]

It is very natural if translated literally into his native language.

 

[tedmc]

That sentence is not natural English. We do not use transitive 'welcome' in that way.

Why not? There is a verb used with an object. So it is not natural but not incorrect.

 

[tedmc]

It is very natural if translated literally into his native language.

This is being sarcastic.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Why not? There is a verb used with an object. So it is not natural but not incorrect.

I consider it incorrect according to the usage explained in post#12.

 

[tedmc]

I don't think any sarcasm was intended. Matthew was merely trying to explain why you used this incorrect form.

I did not use it. The OP did.

 

[joham]

Thanks a lot for your great help. All these discussions made me understand the usage of welcome a lot better.

If we say 'We welcome the government building another school in this area', does it mean that the government is building it, or has decided to or hasn't decided to?

 

[Matthew Wai]

I doubt it is correct to say 'welcome someone doing something', which suggests an ongoing action.