# Fonzie ' s (or Arnold's) Japanese syntax **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995 "2015-02-06T19:54:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/1 "2015-02-06T19:54:48Z")
In the episode of _Happy Days_ in which Arnold gets married, he has Fonzie read an announcement in Japanese, which he has written down in English phonetics so Fonzie can read it: \*Kono tabe wa. Arnold - o Momo-no. Kame kite NE kudasai. Koto o ni, arigato, Kosai masu. \* Now what I would like to see is the way this would be written in formal Japanese, and a word-for-word literal translation. (Arnold and Mom are the groom’s and bride’s names, of course; _kudasai_ and _arigato_mean respectively, I think, “please” and “thank you.” Thanks very much. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/2 "2015-02-06T20:33:31Z")
Kono tabi wa. Arnold wo Momo no kame kitte ne kudasai. Koto wo ni, arigato gozaimasu. Japanese is a strongly phonetic language, so there’s almost no differences. The two real changes tabi -\> tabe and gozaimasu -\> kozaimasu don’t seem like they would make anything easier for a foreigner to pronounce. Maybe the standards of romanization have changed between when the show was made and now? (wo is pronounced o) Having the “ne” between “kitte” and “kudasai” is also a bit strange. It wouldn’t be in a formal statement at all and usually it would be at the end of the sentence. One presumes that this was the transliteration of a slightly older woman, who likes to add “ne” for no reason. Anyways, the literal translation is something like: This journey (we had). Arnold, Momo’s hair cut ! please. Such and forth, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/3 "2015-02-06T21:47:55Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Anyways, the literal translation is something like: > > This journey (we had). > Arnold, Momo’s hair cut ! please. > Such and forth, thank you. So beautiful! _sniffs_ ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/4 "2015-02-06T23:42:59Z")
I’m Japanese, and most of what was written doesn’t make sense literally or figuratively. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/5 "2015-02-07T01:41:46Z")
I found some mistakes I made, by playing back the recording I made off the episode. The correct announcement reads: _Kuna Sama kono tabi wa. Arnold-o Momo-no. Kamei ne kiti kudasai. Koto o ni arigato Gozaimasu._ At least, that’s as close to correct Japanese as Henry Winkler got. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/6 "2015-02-07T01:54:13Z")
I believe Pat Morita “Arnold” as a Japanese speaker but not sure how much. Anyone know? found this article fascinating: [http://seinenkai.com/art-morita.html](http://seinenkai.com/art-morita.html) ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/7 "2015-02-07T12:07:14Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I found some mistakes I made, by playing back the recording I made off the episode. The correct announcement reads: > _Kuna Sama kono tabi wa. > Arnold-o Momo-no. > Kamei ne kiti kudasai. > Koto o ni arigato > Gozaimasu._ > At least, that’s as close to correct Japanese as Henry Winkler got. The closest valid Japanese text I could come up with that matches your quote is: 皆様、この度は アーノルドとモモの為に 来て下さったことに ありがとうございます _Mina sama, kono tabi wa Arnold to Momo no tame ni Kite kudasatta koto ni Arigato gozaimasu_ Very literal translation: Everyone, on this occasion, For Arnold and Mono Came here Thank you Or, more naturally, “thank you for coming here today for Arnold and Momo.” ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fonzie-s-or-arnolds-japanese-syntax/711995/8 "2015-02-07T17:05:26Z")
[quote=“jovan, post:7, topic:711995”] The closest valid Japanese text I could come up with that matches your quote is: 皆様、この度は アーノルドとモモの為に 来て下さったことに ありがとうございます _Mina sama, kono tabi wa Arnold to Momo no tame ni Kite kudasatta koto ni Arigato gozaimasu_ Very literal translation: Everyone, on this occasion, For Arnold and Mono Came here Thank you Or, more naturally, “thank you for coming here today for Arnold and Momo.” _Arigato._ 🙂