How would a fluent speaker understand ありがとうございません?


How could that forced negation of a common phrase be interpreted?

This came up as just a part of some free exploration of linguistics, and my
friends and I were pondering if it could perhaps be understood as something
akin to the English phrase "Thanks, but no thanks" (and understandably it
would sound rude). Or would the phrase be just gibberish — even etymologically
speaking — to the point where it would be unreasonable to meaningfully use it
even in a pun?




It's not common at all and I don't remember whether I've heard it in my entire
life, but ありがとうございません is not gibberish, and it could pass as a meaningful
wordplay to describe
[ありがた迷惑](https://jisho.org/word/%E6%9C%89%E3%82%8A%E9%9B%A3%E8%BF%B7%E6%83%91)
if used in an appropriate situation.

"Thanks but no thanks" could be usable in an ordinary conversation, but
ありがとうございません is a pure joke and it's never used when you are truly irritated.
ございません is a total negation, so perhaps it's semantically more like "I thank
you not" or "I'd like to show my appreciation for nothing".

**おそ** ようございます (said to someone who is late) is a relatively common parody of
Japanese greetings, although something like this is preferred mainly by
elementary school kids.

