What Does "Next" Day Means to You?

hasher22 on 10/08/2021 - 18:40
Last edited 10/08/2021 - 18:47

It's Saturday, 7th August. A friend told me: "Can you please make next Thursday free". I say "ok".

I make the 12th of August free in my calendar but my friend said it's not the 12th August it's the 19th August, the following week. He says "if it was the 12 August, I would have said THIS Thursday not next Thursday".

I am not saying he's wrong but I think people can get mixed up. All my life and I never had a problem with it, but if someone says "next", I automatically think the current week day coming up not the next week after.

I think for me, working in an office and retail and other various jobs, I think passively people have been saying stuff like: "lets have a meeting next Wednesday" and I have been guilty of saying "lets go to the beach next Tuesday" thinking "this" Tuesday and the plans always followed through.

How do you interpret "next" day?

Poll Options

  • 233
    Current week day
  • 577
    The following week day
General Discussion

Comments

  • Hybroid on 10/08/2021 - 18:41
    +53

    I would tend to agree with your friend. This (upcoming) Thursday is not 'next' Thursday.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/08/2021 - 14:00

      Isn't this depend on which country they are from?

      The same way of asking do you mind if I sit here. In some countries it's no I don't mind, in another yes you can sit.

      Not sure which countries exactly, maybe us vs UK.

      Looking at how divided the poll is, it looks like neither is correct.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 12/08/2021 - 15:48
        +5

        Looking at how divided the poll is, it looks like neither is correct.

        Appeal to common practice fallacy.

        E.g. many Americans say, "I could care less," when they mean the opposite; but they're still incorrect.

    • Seraphin7 on 13/08/2021 - 10:25
      +2

      The "upcoming" Thursday is next Thursday … because it's the next Thursday.

      As ever, context is important in these discussions.

      If when you're doing something is effectively trivial to the conversation (i.e. the date is not actually important to the other persons involved as they're not involved or actually waiting for you to do something) then it's not really going to matter what you say.

      If it's critical to the conversation (e.g. you are doing something together and need to meet up), then I would say, "so next Thursday, the 12th?" and gain this specific confirmation.

  • ozhunter on 10/08/2021 - 18:42
    +8

    I agree with your friend, but my friends disagrees with me.

    • Mr Haj on 12/08/2021 - 08:59
      +18

      you need to swap friends with each other

  • John Kimble on 10/08/2021 - 18:46
    +26

    How would you say 19th of August then? Thursday week?

    • GoldenDragon888 on 10/08/2021 - 18:48
      +39

      I do.

    • hasher22 on 10/08/2021 - 18:50
      +6

      I would say something like "let's go to the beach on Thursday, not next week but the week after" or something like "Lets go to the beach after next week". But that's how I word things and it seems people get me.

    • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 18:52
      +6

      I'd say 19th of August, or Thursday the 19th.

      How would you say 26th of August then? 🤔

      • hasher22 on 10/08/2021 - 18:57

        I would say the date "lets go to the beach on 26th August" or "leave Thursday 26th August free, that's 3 weeks away" or "in 3 weeks, let's go to the beach" or "in 3 weeks lets go to the beach on whatever day", "are you free in 3 weeks? lets go to the beach, ill message you when the date is near"

        I mean, depending on how I word things, it can come out differently each time.

        • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 19:03
          +1

          I doubt your friend will be there on the 26th.

          You saying "in three weeks" is even worse because saying "in three weeks" on the 7th can't be before the 28th. That's just miscommunication.

          • hasher22 on 10/08/2021 - 19:28
            +4

            @this is us: It's all miscommunication if both parties don't use the phase in the same meaning/context.

            This thread is proving it based on the different interpretations people have

            • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 19:48

              @hasher22: I'm just saying there is no way you can organise something for "three weeks" without specifying the date or contacting the person again, which means "three weeks" is not good enough.

        • temporiser on 11/08/2021 - 07:22
          +2

          We recently had this discussion at work. Definitely a difference of opinion.

          To me it is the same week. If it was the following week, I would Thursday week.

      • Bren20 on 12/08/2021 - 09:08

        easy, next fort-Thursday

  • GoldenDragon888 on 10/08/2021 - 18:48
    +45

    19th August is Thursday week. Next Thursday is the next Thursday so 12th August.

    • ozhunter on 10/08/2021 - 18:55
      +3

      Next Thursday is the next Thursday so 12th August.

      What if someone said, "Let's go to the movies this Thursday"?

      • Nugs on 10/08/2021 - 18:59
        +14

        same same
        .

      • GoldenDragon888 on 10/08/2021 - 19:19
        +2

        As Nugs says same, same.

        • sakurashu on 12/08/2021 - 11:15

          Clearly more ambiguous a system then if "this" Thursday and "next" Thursday can be the same Thursday

      • JoJoker on 12/08/2021 - 13:47
        +3

        I'd say wtf no we're in lockdown the cinema is shut

    • whitelie on 11/08/2021 - 22:37

      What if they say "Not this Thursday, next Thursday". That's the 19th right? Even though they're both next Thursday

      • NigelTufnel on 12/08/2021 - 10:09
        +2

        Because that's the next Thursday after this Thursday previously mentioned.

  • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 18:49
    +7

    I've learned that in Australia it's the following week, which is wrong by definition:

    next
    /nɛkst/
    Learn to pronounce
    adjective
    1.
    (of a time) coming immediately after the time of writing or speaking.
    "we'll go to Corfu next year"

    2.
    coming immediately after the present one in order, rank, or space.
    "the woman in the next room"

    adverb
    1.
    on the first or soonest occasion after the present; immediately afterwards.
    "he wondered what would happen next"

    It's pointless to discuss because it's not about the dictionary, but how people use the term.

    • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2021 - 18:52
      +7

      How would you explain this then?

      coming immediately after the present one in order, rank, or space.

      • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 18:58
        +4

        This is not related to time, but with place or order. You are in a room and someone says the person you are looking for is in the next room. You don't skip a room.

        You are playing board games and your friend asks who is the next. Do you skip the immediately next person and says the second next is the next? No, you don't.

        • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2021 - 19:05
          +8

          Don't think of it as dealing with time here though. The subject is "Thursday" and we're referring to the order.

          You have T0, T1, T2, T3, …. Tx, etc.

          The Thursday that is nearest to you (ie. This), is T0 and the next thursday is the one immediately after T0 which is T1.

          Think of the whole week as a single person's turn in your boardgame. So whenever you say "this turn" you're referring to any of the next 7 days in your week. "Next turn" is the following 7 set of days in the week.

          I too used to argue to the death that "next Thursday" would be the Thursday that is coming up, but someone explained the conept really well to me and it kinda just made sense to me from there.

          • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 19:17
            -5

            @[Deactivated]: There is no way this can be explained. Someone probably used a wrong concept to convince you.

            "Immediately after the present" is pretty clear. That's the definition.

            Let's say "the results will be released next week".

            When is next week?

            If we consider that the week starts on Monday, everyone will agree that next week is between 16/8-22/8, or between 15/8-21/8 if you consider the Sunday.

            No one thinks that next week is after 22/8, so why is that different for "next Thursday"?

            • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2021 - 19:20
              +4

              @this is us: Let's agree a week is Monday to Sunday for this case.

              W0 is the current week of Monday to Sunday (09/08 - 15/08) aka "this week"
              W1 is the following week of Monday to Sunday (16/08 - 22/08) aka "next week"

              It follows the same principle as the example with T0, T1, etc for Thursdays.

              • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 20:40
                +2

                @[Deactivated]: Yeah, that's easier because we are living this week (9-15/8), the present week, and the next is the immediately next week (16-22/8) but if we are on Friday (6/8), next Thursday will always be the 12/8 for me.

                Given the partial results, I guess everyone will always have to clarify when next Thursday is.

                • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2021 - 23:30
                  -1

                  @this is us:

                  but if we are on Friday (6/8), next Thursday will always be the 12/8 for me.

                  That would just be "Thursday" or "this Thursday". Next Thursday would be 19/8.

                  • this is us on 10/08/2021 - 23:57

                    @[Deactivated]: We will have to agree to disagree, and must clarify with whoever we are planning events with. :)

                  • Bjingo on 11/08/2021 - 14:52
                    +3

                    @[Deactivated]: I like the use of sequences for the explanation and I get how both sides work, But I personally fall on the other side of this, Ill try to explain why as best I can.

                    Basically I base last, this and next on the week they fall in, so;

                    W0 is Monday to Sunday (02/08 - 08/08) aka "this week"
                    W1 is Monday to Sunday (09/08 - 15/08) aka "next week"
                    D0 is this day
                    D1 is next day

                    So assuming today is 06/08, the weeks to me would look like this;

                    W0=(Mo0, Tu0, We0, Th0, Fr0, Sa0, Su0)
                    W1=(Mo1, Tu1, We1, Th1. Fr1, Sa1, Su1)

                    So if it was Friday (06/08) being Fr0, then Thursday (12/08) is next Thursday or in my above example Th1 as it falls in next week. but if I were to go according to the other method then my weeks would be look like this,

                    W0=(Mo-1, Tu-1, We-1, Th-1, Fr0, Sa0, Su0)
                    W1=(Mo0, Tu0, We0, Th0, Fr1, Sa1, Su1,)
                    W2=(Mo1, Tu1, We1, Th1, Fr2, Sa2, Su2)

                    this to me can be confusing as you get this situation where Next Thursday is the week after next and last Thursday is this week so in a sentence you could end up with something like, "hey, what are you doing this Thursday and next Friday?" when referring to 12/08 and 13/08.

                    The way I see it both make enough sense it just depends on perspective, is it;
                    "This coming Thursday" or "Thursday next week"

                  • yk123hh on 12/08/2021 - 11:02
                    +1

                    @[Deactivated]: On Friday 06/08,
                    "When you will finish your work?"
                    "Next week(09/08-15/08)"
                    "More explicit"
                    "This Thursday"
                    …………
                    THIS Thursday(12/08) is in NEXT week(09/08-15/08). It sounds weird to me.

                    • Antikythera on 12/08/2021 - 21:42

                      @yk123hh: take your example to the extreme.
                      no one can ever plan to do anything "This Monday".
                      Because it is always "Next Monday", right up until it becomes "Today".

                  • yk123hh on 12/08/2021 - 11:11
                    +2

                    @[Deactivated]: According to your logic, in December 2021, NEXT November means November in 2023.

        • dufflover on 11/08/2021 - 21:27

          Do you skip the immediately next person and says the second next is the next?

          Chicken necks?

        • relentless on 11/08/2021 - 23:57

          Or lining up and the person at the counter shouts NEXT!

      • poohduck on 11/08/2021 - 22:22

        It's not present; it was said on a Saturday.

    • John Kimble on 10/08/2021 - 18:54

      And the definition of "this"?

    • This Guy on 11/08/2021 - 20:16
      +1

      Your not wrong at all.

      This Thursday is the present Thursday.

      Next Thursday is a week later, after the present Thursday.

      It makes no sense for the present Thursday to be the Thursday just past.

      I also understand other's argument that there is not such thing as a present Thursday unless it is Thursday. The upcoming Thursday is the next Thursday. But that is not popular convention.

      • this is us on 11/08/2021 - 21:09
        +1

        I understand it is not the "present Thursday", just the "present", even it's not Thursday today. Interesting how people have different interpretations.

  • Sawtell on 10/08/2021 - 18:54
    +3

    Who has this kind of relationship?

    • THICKnSLOW on 11/08/2021 - 16:37
      +1

      She must have a nice beach bod as her beach plans always go to plan, so I would think quite a healthy relationship.

  • morse on 10/08/2021 - 18:55
    +7

    Yep, it’s poorly defined but my understanding is:

    • this Thursday = the Thursday occurring this week
    • next Thursday = the Thursday occurring next week
    • a week Thursday = a week after the soonest Thursday
    • a week next Thursday = a week after the Thursday occurring next week

    Or you can just say the actual date.

    If someone says “see you next Tuesday” that’s more of a worry.

    • morse on 10/08/2021 - 19:05

      Remember when this was big news? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pLtB7e_hrS4 🤣

      • aong152 on 12/08/2021 - 19:29

        I just understood that as C u next thursday ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    • tolchok on 13/08/2021 - 09:08

      Reminds me of a great Arrested Development exchange:

      Michael: Get rid of The Seaward.

      Lucille: I'll leave when I'm good and ready.

    • amkssg on 13/08/2021 - 14:18

      For clarity, I have always used:
      this coming Thursday = the Thursday that occurs in less than 7 days from today.
      the following Thursday = the Thursday that occurs in 7 to 14 days from today.

      "This Thursday" is very misleading as it can refer to either "Thursday past" or "Thursday coming".

  • John Kimble on 10/08/2021 - 18:58
    +4

    Same issues with giving directions, does "turn left at the next set of lights" mean the first one coming up, or second set of lights? 🤔

    • MS Paint on 10/08/2021 - 19:11
      +11

      Bear left is my favourite.

      I'm yet to see a bear 🐻

    • Ocker on 10/08/2021 - 19:13

      Depends if it is a male or female giving the answer.

  • Ocker on 10/08/2021 - 19:12
    +5

    No contest:
    "(of a time) coming immediately after the time of writing or speaking."

    Or in another context, who is your "next" door neighbour? The property you share your boundary with or the house two blocks down?

    • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2021 - 19:25

      Using the same example I provided above.

      This is your street. Assume someone asks "who is your next door neighbour", you would need to clarify which one, whether left or right. Let's assume right for this example.

      [3][2][1][0][1][2][3]

      If you detach yourself from your house and make it the "origin" or starting point and you travel to the right. Then your house would be H0 (aka "this house") and H1 would be your neighbour (aka "the next house") aka "next door neighbour"

      Which in reference to the OP:

      H0 would be this Thursday (12/08)
      H1 would be next Thursday (19/08)

      • knobbs on 10/08/2021 - 23:10
        +7

        In this example you aren't at H0 yet though. The example doesn't setup the scenario the same.
        Days of the week are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
        If you are on day 2 and ask when is the next day 3, you would say tomorrow. Not 2 + 7 then next 3.

        It would be the same starting point for your example as in saying if you are in an alleyway between house 0 and 1

        • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2021 - 23:27

          Yes, you are at H0 because you're speaking in the general context of houses just like your days example is the general context of days.

          If you are on day 2 and ask when is the next day 3, you would say tomorrow. Not 2 + 7 then next 3.

          Exactly, because you're speaking in the general context of days, not a specific day. If it was a specific day, then the first instance of that day coming up would be specificDay0 = 0 and the next one would be specificDay1 = specificDay0 + 7 days .

  • DogGunn on 10/08/2021 - 19:22
    +9

    Wow, kinda surprised at how many people agree with the OP's friend.

    I've always thought of "next Thursday" as the next Thursday coming up, not next week Thursday. If I meant that, I would have said Thursday week.

    Is this possibly a state thing? Or a formality thing?

    • morse on 10/08/2021 - 19:24
      +3

      So what is “this Thursday” then?

      • DogGunn on 10/08/2021 - 19:25
        +13

        Another way of saying next Thursday. I've never thought of the terms as being mutually exclusive.

        • morse on 10/08/2021 - 19:34
          +1

          Hmmm… very confusing. I do usually say “this Thursday coming” if I mean the soonest Thursday.

  • iridiumstem on 10/08/2021 - 19:24
    +7

    I think of the upcoming Thursday if I hear next Thursday, since I think of it as next (coming up) Thursday.

    It's probably just the language and how people around you have been using the term, next Thursday.
    I kinda get the logic from both side tbh.

  • Axelstrife on 10/08/2021 - 19:29
    +2

    Your friend is correct.
    I don't really say "this" in front of any given day of the current week as there's no reason for it, easier to simply say "Can you please make Thursday free" for THIS week and "Can you please make next Thursday free" for the following week.

    • leiiv on 10/08/2021 - 20:45
      +5

      All good assuming you say that on Monday, or Tuesday or Wednesday.
      If today is Thursday, will "next Thursday" means in 7 days, or 14 days?
      If today is Friday, will the meaning of "next Thursday" change again?

      • Axelstrife on 10/08/2021 - 21:23
        -1

        When speaking about the current day you simple say " Can I make an appointment today"

        It would be weird to say something like " Can I make an appointment for thursday" when the current day is Thursday.

        • sugarfree on 10/08/2021 - 23:51

          No they mean for the following Thursday not the current day. Like exactly a weeks time

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 10/08/2021 - 20:10
    +7

    I agree with OP and would have thought it meant August 12th.

    ie. In a Ozbargain analogy… If Amazon offers 'Next-day delivery', does that mean not tomorrow, but the day after?

    • rompastompa on 11/08/2021 - 18:07
      +4

      ie. In a Ozbargain analogy… If Amazon offers 'Next-day delivery', does that mean not tomorrow, but the day after?

      In your case;

      This day = Today
      Next day = Tomorrow
      (after 4pm today *) Next day delivery = Day after tomorrow (* Subject to T&C's)

      In OP's case (based if on Saturday):

      This Thursday = 12th
      Thursday Next week = 12th
      Next Week Thursday = 12th
      (if between Thursday and Sunday on current week) Next Thursday = 12th
      (if between Monday - Thursday) Next Thursday = 19th
      A Week Thursday = 19th

      I've typed out Thursday too much and now I think it's all wrong.

  • askme69 on 10/08/2021 - 20:31
    +7

    "Thursday week" would be the common terminology used where I'm from.

  • jaejae69 on 10/08/2021 - 20:41
    +23

    The conversation happened on Saturday so "this" Thursday was two days ago and has already passed. So, to me, "next Thursday" means the 12th.
    If the conversation were to occur between Monday 9th to Wednesday 11th, then "this Thursday" is the 12th and "next Thursday" is the 19th.

    The main confusion stems from what word people choose to insert after "this". For me, "this" has always been the short form of "this week" and so "next" means "next week". I guess for some people they choose to use "this" in lieu of "this coming".

    • leiiv on 10/08/2021 - 20:50
      +1

      If "this Thursday" is used as the short form of "this coming Thursday", what is the long form for "next Thursday"?

      • jaejae69 on 10/08/2021 - 20:52
        +2

        Yep that's my thought exactly, I personally think OPs friend is completely wrong but clearly according to the other responses it's not as clear cut as I thought.

      • abb on 12/08/2021 - 10:26

        what is the long form for "next Thursday"?

        Not this coming Thursday, but the next Thursday after that

  • Godric on 10/08/2021 - 20:46
    +3

    Refer to Seinfeld for answer

  • Gratt on 10/08/2021 - 20:51
    +5

    I am with you. However, my wife is not and she is always right.

  • poboy on 10/08/2021 - 21:11
    +1

    It depends on how close the current day is to the target day.

    If it is Monday, next Thursday is the following Thursday.

    If it is Saturday, it is a bit more ambiguous.

    This = the closest target day
    Next = the second target day

    Although I'm completely aware that people have different interpretations.

    • dasher86 on 10/08/2021 - 21:44

      So if it were Wednesday and I said see you next Thursday, what you that mean to you?

      • kiitos on 11/08/2021 - 08:08
        +2

        I would think the Thursday 8 days from now, as if it were to be the following day, it would have been more natural to say see you tomorrow.

        (Unless this was a see you next t…joke)

  • djones145 on 10/08/2021 - 22:04
    +1

    u are in Sydney so you shouldn't be making plans with any friends anyway!

    unless its a single friend then make it clear! it can be every thursday!

  • hm on 10/08/2021 - 23:09

    Next day is tomorrow

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 10/08/2021 - 23:45

    Next day would be next working day imo.
    Not a week, otherwise it will be next week.

  • munecito on 11/08/2021 - 07:33
    +1

    Seinfeld has you covered

    https://youtu.be/71nvWNAvZfs

  • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2021 - 07:40
    +2

    Current day = 7 August
    This Thursday = 12th
    Next Thursday/Thursday week = 19th

  • KSMLJ on 11/08/2021 - 08:21
    +1

    This is why I use coming or following (day of the week) + (actual date), so there is no ambiguity.

  • sss333 on 11/08/2021 - 08:42
    +1

    If someone said Thursday week that'd be clear, if they said next Thursday I'd just ask if they meant Thursday this week or next.

  • BigBirdy on 11/08/2021 - 08:47
    +1

    Inconsistent, as your poll shows, and a common source of confusion. I never use the term without adding something to make it clear, such as providing the date. Generally I’d use “this Thursday”, “Thursday week” and “Thursday fortnight” to refer to the following three Thursday’s.

  • leiiv on 11/08/2021 - 09:24

    Can we say it the first coming Thursday, second coming Thursday, etc, to avoid ambiguity?

  • BenzMan on 11/08/2021 - 10:09

    Who cares, just because you're friend is wrong? Just say NOW I'M NOT FREE! Get more articulate friends.

  • OzHunterNSW on 11/08/2021 - 11:58
    -1

    You should have clarified the "exact day" with this individual.

    Next Thursday, is what it means, the next upcoming Thursday. NOT the second, or third, or in a year's time, it means exactly that, the NEXT Thursday.

    Enquire into their level of education

  • Strahany on 11/08/2021 - 12:22
    +1

    I always use "this x" when it is Monday or later and the day is prior to the next Monday.

    I always use "next x" when there is another "x" prior to the "x" in question.

    I interchangeably use "this x" or "next coming x" when it is pre-Monday of the week of "x" in question, and post-"x" of the current week.

    Am I correct? Most likely not.

  • md333 on 11/08/2021 - 15:11
    +1

    Doesn't matter if you are right or not, half the people you are talking to will take the opposite meaning regardless.

  • THICKnSLOW on 11/08/2021 - 16:39
    +1

    So is this going to be moved to the freebies section of these site, very kind of OP for a free Thursday.

  • Littlevu on 11/08/2021 - 16:47
    +2

    Hey OP,

    Maybe be spontaneous and ask ppl to go to the beach TODAY. No more confusion.

  • DarkOz on 11/08/2021 - 16:57
    +1

    This Thursday is the Thursday of this week.

    Next Thursday is the Thursday of next week.

    Thursday week is the Thursday after the Thursday of next week.

    You count the week first before you count the days. If the week is not over yet then the days is still treated as this week. I hope that makes sense.

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