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When you see these things in foreign languages, it may seem odd. However, if you look at the origins of words and phrases in English, it is also full of odd exp

When you see these things in foreign languages, it may seem odd. However, if you look at the origins of words and phrases in English, it is also full of odd expressions. It is just that you are used to them. Take "welcome."[1] Well come. You've arrived well. You make a good entrance? Not a ridiculous thing to say when someone arrives. What about in response to "Thank you?" You are welcome.[2] Huh? What does that mean? Or, "you are welcome to take a second cookie." How does that translate into "I do not mind if you take a second cookie?" [1] Welcome translates quite literally in other European languages. For example, in French, it is bienvenue - bien: well - venu: came. [2] On the other hand, it is much more common to say de rien (in French) or de nada (in Spanish): literally, "it's nothing."

lqet 6y ago
The origin of "welcome" seems to be "will come", not "well come". This is clear from the German version "Willkommen", which is closer to the original proto-germanic "wiljakumo" and is directly related to the rather dated German expression "Will [er/sie] kommen!" ("Let him/her in, or "Will he/she come [in]!"), or even to English "will ya come!". The connection of "will" and "come" signals the desire to receive the guest. The french "bienvenue" seems to be a too-literal translation from wiljakumo [0]. A similar construction is missing in Latin. [0] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bienvenue#Etymology https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bienvenue#Etymology