We often put up welcoming banners on certain occasions. If universities wish to welcome their new students in this way, what should they print on the banners?

(1) Welcome.
(2) Welcome to Yuexiu.
(3) Welcome, our new students.
(4) Welcome to Yuexiu, our new students.
(5) Welcome our new students.
(6) Welcome our new students to Yuexiu.
(7) Warmly welcome our new students to Yuexiu.
(8) Yuexiu warmly welcomes its new students.
(9) Welcome new students to Yuexiu.
(10) Welcome to Yuexiu, new students.
(11) ...

It seems that many Chinese would choose (7) to welcome somebody in the form of a banner.

(1) and (2) are OK.
(3) is grammatical but not natural in a banner. Welcome, new students sounds better.
(4) again, leave off "our" and it sounds better.
(5) "Welcome to our new students" sounds better.
(6) Again, leave off "our" and now put "new students" between commas: Welcome, new students, to Yuexia.
(7) NO. Could be We warmly welcome our new students to Yuexiu. (but not very natural for a banner) or A warm welcome to our new students at Yuexiu. (but again, not too natural)
(8) OK
(9) put commas around "new students"
(10) OK

Personally, I'd use "Welcome to Yuexiu" or "Welcome to our new students."

Thanks, Okaasan.

I'm also very much confused about the word-classes of welcome (verb, adjective, noun, & interjection) in those sentences.

In your (5), welcome is a noun?

Could you explain why our had better be removed in my sample sentences?

My thoughts are exactly the same as Okaasan's.

Thanks, Rachel. But I'm still wondering and struggling for a 'best' expression.

Things are easier if we needn't state the people we welcome, as in (1) and (2).

Unfortunately here in China, we often have to make clear in a banner the people we welcome. Such being the case, what do you think is the "most idiomatic banner"? (8)?

And I think "(A warm) welcome to ..." would be most natural in a speech (sb. gives a warm welcome to so.).

Finally, is there any significant difference between "Welcome, my friend" and "Welcome, friend"? Or is it because my form of address "our new students" is not natural enough that Okaasan suggests removing "our"?

I don't know if I can say why some of these banners work and others don't. I guess it's just that English likes to be brief -- especially in something like a banner, any extra words should go. So Welcome, new students sounds more natural than Welcome, our new students.

I don't think there is any significant difference between "welcome, my friend" and "welcome, friend."

I guess it all boils down to differences in how languages express certain things. I often see it in (poor) translations from Arabic to English. There are certain things that you say in Arabic that just don't sound right in English if you translate too closely. I'm sure it's the same with Chinese, or any language for that matter.

Thank you all the same, Okaasan, though I'm still puzzled by "my friend" and "our new students".

quote:

Thank you all the same, Okaasan, though I'm still puzzled by "my friend" and "our new students".

This puzzles me, too, Chuncan Feng. It is natural, though, to say, 'Welcome, friend' or 'Welcome, my friend.'

It is also natural to say, 'Welcome, friends,' and in some circumstances, 'Welcome, my friends.'

We would not say, 'Welcome, our friend / friends.'

If two speakers, let's say political allies, are speaking at a rally, each one might begin like this:

Welcome, friends.

If one speaker is alone, s/he might say:

Welcome, friends.

Welcome, my friends.

We wouldn't use 'our.' I feel and know this as Okaasan does, and like her, I don't know why either.
_______

I think that these are good for your purposes:

(8) Yuexiu warmly welcomes its new students.
(8a)A warm welcome to Yuexiu's new students.
(8b)A warm welcome to the new students of Yuexiu.
(10) Welcome to Yuexiu!

Many thanks, Rachel.