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This was originally reported back in September 2010 but despite being tagged is still a problem:

enter image description here

It states:

Welcome to Q&A for professional and enthusiast programmers

Surely it should read:

Welcome to a Q&A site for ....

or even:

Welcome to the Q&A site for ....

(the bold indicates the missing text).

Currently it reads as though it's welcoming the questions and answers themselves to the site (thanks Chris). Though you could argue that is what the site is about!

The same error is on all the other sites in the network too.

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  • 6
    It's fine when you unpack the abbreviation
    – random
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:37
  • 11
    What? "Welcome to Question and Answer for professional ...". Still doesn't make sense.
    – ChrisF Mod
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:39
  • 5
    Unpack and pluralize.
    – John
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:40
  • 3
    "Q&A" is pretty much colloquially used in this sense these days. For example, at a presentation someone will say "We'll have Q&A at the end" and the meaning is pretty clear.
    – Adam Lear StaffMod
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:43
  • 7
    @AnnaLear - Yes, but that doesn't equate to this usage. At least I don't see that it does.
    – ChrisF Mod
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:45
  • 6
    "Questions and Answers" are in the collective and the thing what is done been talked of.
    – random
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:47
  • 12
    It's technically fine when you unpack the abbreviation, but reading it is still a bit like throwing up in your mouth. At least welcome people to <sitename>, which is described as "Q&A for <whatever>".
    – Tim Stone
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:59
  • 1
    Technically fine is the best kind of nanny to oversee your children
    – random
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 17:01
  • 2
    I vote for option #3: "Welcome to the Q&A site for ...." or maybe "Welcome to the best Q&A site for ..." :)
    – Steve
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 18:36
  • 1
    We ain't gonna have none of your book lernin' round here.
    – jonsca
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 18:37
  • 5
    "Welcome to a/the Q&A site" is like "Welcome to a football stadium" or "Welcome to the Jones ranch." "Welcome to Q&A" is like "Welcome to football" or "Welcome to Jones." Colloquially, I can kinda see how "welcome to Q&A" works, but that doesn't make it correct, strictly speaking.
    – Pops
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 23:15
  • 3
    I was going to take this to English SE, but John already did.
    – Pops
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 1:27
  • What is Poor's next move?
    – random
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 21:40
  • 6
    Why the close votes? Is that the correct approach to proposals you disagree with?
    – Andrew Grimm
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 22:46
  • @AndrewGrimm IMHO, it is the correct approach to proposals that incite debate like this. The team could come settle this with a wave of their hand, and they're really the only people who can settle this. After I realized that no one seems to be able to understand anyone else's viewpoint, the conversation became not constructive. Hence I VTC-ed as not contructive.
    – John
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 23:30

3 Answers 3

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25

The sentence is grammatically correct. You can be welcomed to an activity.

e.g. you can say

Welcome to training for lorry drivers.

You don't have to say

Welcome to the place where you are going to do lorry driver training.

Addendum:

In case it's not clear; Q&A or Q and A is defined as an activity:

noun Informal. an exchange of questions and answers.

From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/q+and+a

It shouldn't be used in a formal context, but I don't think the welcome banner of the website is a formal context.

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  • 1
    It may be grammatically correct, but it still sounds weird.
    – user102937
    Commented Dec 23, 2011 at 15:46
2

It originally read (abbreviations expanded):

Welcome to question(s) and answer(s) site for [site-specific description]

That is grammatically incorrect. It was changed to:

Welcome to questions and answers for [site-specific description]

I don't see the problem here. This is correct.

Stack Overflow houses questions and answers for professional and enthusiast programmers, so when people get here we say "Welcome to questions and answers for professional and enthusiast programmers".

Instead of saying:

"Welcome to questions for professional and enthusiast programmers and also welcome to answers for professional and enthusiast programmers"

we just say

Welcome to questions and answers for professional and enthusiast programmers"

Another way to put it is that you are welcome to the questions and answers housed on the site, hence we welcome you to questions and answers.

For what it's worth, I asked in the EL&U chat and on the main site. The one person who responded in chat said "what is written is fine as it is". The jury is still out on the question on the main site, but at the time of this writing, the votes seem to be leaning towards leaving it as is.

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  • 12
    Nope - still doesn't really make sense.
    – ChrisF Mod
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:41
  • 2
    "Welcome to questions and answers for professional and enthusiast programmers" I'm sorry, what part of that doesn't make sense?
    – John
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:43
  • 7
    How can you welcome someone to "questions and answers"? They're not a "thing" - not even a virtual thing like a website.
    – ChrisF Mod
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:44
  • 5
    We're welcoming them to questions (which are things) and to answers (also things).
    – John
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 16:47
  • 2
    The current banner sounds like it's greeting the questions and answers themselves, rather than the visitors who contribute them.
    – Chris Frederick
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 17:00
  • 1
    @Chris - yes that's it! That's what was bothering me.
    – ChrisF Mod
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 17:08
  • 13
    Obviously should be re-written as, "Teh progse greetz u!!"
    – Shog9
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 17:10
  • 6
    I can't see how "Welcome to questions and answers" is right; it sounds ridiculous. "Welcome to a site containing questions and answers" is right, if a bit long-winded
    – Michael Mrozek
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 17:49
  • Actually, it originally simply read "First time here?" Not even a welcome.
    – BoltClock's a Unicorn
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 18:40
  • @PopularDemand Q&A are tangible things (i.e. nouns). In your example, football is verb, not a noun.
    – John
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 23:12
  • @PopularDemand Again, you're picking describing words that can't stand on their own. Q&A certainly can.
    – John
    Commented Oct 29, 2011 at 23:13
  • 1
    Yes, questions and answers are tangible things, but you cannot visit Q&As, though you can visit a website for Q&As.
    – Nightfirecat
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 0:38
  • 1
    @Nightfirecat The people are still welcome to the questions and the answers, are they not?
    – John
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 0:43
  • 1
    @John, I moved my comments to the question about four minutes after I posted them, sorry for making you look crazy. That said, being a tangible thing is not the right guideline. See "Welcome to carrot!" and "Welcome to your dream!"
    – Pops
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 1:26
  • @PopularDemand Don't worry about it. I'm using to looking crazy. :P That said, "Welcome to carrots" (plural, like I said earlier) and "Welcome to your dream" (this one doesn't look like it has to be plural) don't make much sense, but they are technically correct. See "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously".
    – John
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 1:32
1

I would just like to state for the record:

When I saw this question I knew the OP was British and educated in literature. It's one of the stylistic differences between British and American English. Having attended a British fee-paying school I was also taught the same. If you look at old British literature, you will also see it.

The younger generation isn't too hung up on it due to increasing influence of American media. However those that go to certain schools will certainly be taught it.

Another difference you will see on the internet is the use of 'is' instead of 'are' with regard to entities, such as "Who is ?" vs "Who are ?" in a company's FAQ.

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3
  • That's an interesting observation.
    – Josh Darnell
    Commented Dec 23, 2011 at 14:21
  • Well you're 50% right. I'm British, but I wouldn't say I was "educated in literature" :)
    – ChrisF Mod
    Commented Dec 23, 2011 at 14:22
  • 1
    I wasn't either. I was looking for a polite way to say "older than me" and "paid attention in a non-failing school" but I'm no author! Were I such a person, I am sure I would have made P G Wodehouse proud!
    – user175490
    Commented Dec 23, 2011 at 14:37

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