after saying "ありがとう" to someone, they can't renege without hard feelings?

Question

In the thread titled usage cases for 「ありがたい」? many very good answers were given. However, one issue that was not addressed was (when speaking formally) whether ありがたい brings an end to the thought. What I mean is that

• "ありがとう" might mean "thank you very much. and whatever i am thanking you for is a done deal. reneging is not acceptable."
• "ありがたい" seems more like "i fully expect you to do what i am thankful for. but, stuff happens and you can renege without any hard feelings."

So, that is why in the thread titled how do you politely and gratefully reply to an invitation to be published, I would say:

"ご掲載になってくださって、ありがたい です。これからも、よろしくお願いします"
rather than
"ご掲載になってくださって、ありがとう ございます。これからも、よろしくお願いします。"

The usage cases for 「ありがたい」 thread already answers every question I have about 「ありがたい」。 But, with regard to the very specific usage case given in this thread, is that difference between ありがたい and ありがとう there?

Answer 1

ありがたい is used when something is convenient/beneficial/welcome to the speaker. And it's very often used with "if/もしも-clause" or 仮定形 conjucation.

論文を掲載していただければ、ありがたいです。 (before your article is reviewed)

教えてくれればありがたい(です)。(before someone actually teaches you something)

And yes, sentences like these mean that your offer may or may not be accepted. (By the way, in the cover letter of a scientific article, I recommend replacing ありがたいです with 幸い【さいわい】です, which is even politer.)

I'd say 連用形 + ありがたい (present tense) is very unnatural:

(*) 間違いを教えてくれて、ありがたい(です)。
(*) 論文を掲載していただき、ありがたいです。

But using ありがたかった after something was already done is OK:

間違いを教えてくれて、ありがたかった。(≒ It was kind of X to point out ...)

On the other hand, ありがとう(ございます) is Thank you, and it's usually used when something was already done, or determined to be done.

論文を掲載していただき、ありがとうございます。(after your article was successfully published)

教えてくれてありがとう(ございます)。(after someone actually taught you something)