Mark Lewis:
ML> as i understand it, just like seeing one deer or many
ML> deer, welcome is also the past tense of welcome

Hardly.  The dictionary gives "welcomed" instead of
"welcame, welcome".  It is because in all tenses of
"welcome" the "come" part remains the past participal of "to
come" with adjectival meaning.  "come" has the same meaning
in "I am come with peace."

ML> but then that may depend on context as i remember a book
ML> containing a passage similar to "he was welcomed at the
ML> gates of the city"... possibly it has to do with noun vs
ML> verb vs adjective usage?

No.  When used as a verb, its past tense and past participle
are always "welcomed".

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 * Origin: *** nntp://fidonews.mine.nu *** Finland *** (2:221/6.0)