Great and rich Russian language! And it happens that it is not entirely clear. There are such turns of speech in our language, the meaning of which has to be deciphered even by native speakers. But explaining to foreigners is not an easy task. It happens that you just start a conversation, and then questions arise about the meaning of the words addressed to you. “I categorically welcome you!” Says the man. And you are thinking about how to treat such an extraordinary way to say hello. Let's get it together. What does it mean "categorically welcome" - read in this article.
How does communication begin?
According to etiquette and the rules of courtesy, communication always begins with a greeting. Before you start a conversation with a person, you need to say hello to him. This is clear to everyone. But here is what this very greeting carries in itself, sometimes it’s difficult to figure it out. But by the way you greeted, in what tone and with what intonation the standard phrase was pronounced, you can immediately determine how the person you are talking to is configured.
Identify the goals that he pursues in communicating with you. If this is a dry "hello" - most likely, he wants to solve a business question, a good-natured "hello" indicates informality in communication. And what does “categorically welcome” mean? What does a person saying hello want to express? How is it worth responding?
We will analyze by bones
We all know what they mean “categorically” and “welcome” separately. These words do not cause difficulties, but their combination raises a lot of questions.
So, categorically - it is resolutely, irrevocably, without accepting any objections. We used to hear this word in combinations more with negative coloring, negative meaning of rejection. For example, “categorically not”, “categorical prohibition” and similar expressions.
“Greetings” - this is a good-natured statement, showing a good attitude to the interlocutor.
Combine incongruous
What gives us the use of incongruous words in one phrase? This technique is actively used in the literature under the name "oxymoron". This is one of the methods to create a comic effect. Also, this technique helps the author to emphasize the meaning of a word, to highlight the essential facet of a phenomenon or object.
The fact that in the phrase “categorically welcome” side by side are two completely opposite in terms of their emotional coloring words is not at all surprising and not new for the Russian language.
What does this mean?
But we have not figured out what it means "categorically welcome." Such a greeting can be called comic. A person greeting him in this way pronounces this phrase, as a rule, in an ironic tone, with humor. Therefore, one should not look at him hostilely - your interlocutor is just in a good mood, and he decided to amuse you too with his funny and original greeting.
What's so bad about that? Answer him in tone, then your conversation will be livelier, there will be a reason to joke and laugh. But we all know that laughter prolongs life.
Where did the expression come from?
The story of the phrase "categorically welcome" originates in the city, which is famous for its sparkling humor - in Odessa. In the 1962 feature film "The Eccentric Man" (directed by Vladimir Kochetov), the hero of Mikhail Pugovkin categorically welcomes important guests at the table. Of course, he does not pronounce this phrase for the purpose of having fun - the hero, for sure, wants to show his special attitude to “significant persons”, wants to look respectable and respectable.
And the viewer, watching this whole scene, only bursts into laughter. The effect comes out completely opposite - comic. And we all, following the director of the film, will repeat: "The Eccentric Man." Now, when we want to make others laugh, we often take this phrase from the movie.