When is "Next Thursday"?
 

This came up in class today. I reminded my class that they need to have read a certain novel by "Next Thursday" (also listed in the reading guide in the syllabus, which most students never seem to read). Some requested clarification: Did I mean the Thursday of this week, June 30th, or the Thursday that comes next week, July 7th?

I found it an interesting question, as I had one specific date in mind and was mildly surprised that this could be misunderstood, so I asked the class what they thought I meant, and there was no concensus as to which meaning is the "standard" one.

So, when someone says, "Next [day]" or "Last [day]" do you interpret that to mean the very next/last occurrance of that day, or the occurance of that day that preceeded/follows the one that occurs during the current time frame of reference?

That may sound confusing. If I said "Next Fourth of July", would you assume that I mean July 4th of 2005, the one that comes next in time, or July 4th of 2006, the one that comes next year.

Do "next" and "last" in this context refer to strict chronology, or do they refer to the next and last time period (week, year, etc.)?

What I meant, and clarified for them, was "The Thursday of next week". If I said "next 4th of July", it would refer to 2006, as opposed to 2005 which would be "this 4th of July", or as my mom would say, "This coming 4th of July".

To me, "This Thursday" is the one coming up. "Next Thursday" is the one after that.

Me too. you can just drop the "this" also and just call it Thursday

if its tuesday or wednesday than next thursday is deffinately next week... but if its only Friday or Saturday I noticed that i might slip and say next thursday meaning the very next thursday that comes around, in 5 or 6 days...
so i guess next means next week?
we should just use the date

That would be the Thursday of next week, so in that case, it's both.

I agree, when it needs to be that specific, a date is best.

i've always thought of next thursday as next thursday. meaning if its wednesday, and someone tells me 'next thursday', that means tomorrow, because it is the next thursday, not the thursday after that, otherwise it would be two more thursdays from now.

This explains why I have had scheduling problems because people disagree on what "next" means. The only cure for me has been to emphasize the date.

Exactly the same here.

Lose the watch, burn the calendar, and go dance under the moon. Or - be particular, precise, double check, and ensure clarity of the issue.

My take - "Thursday" means whichever one comes next. "This Thursday" means the week you are in. "Next Thursday" will be the Thursday in the week following the one you are in.

It is evident that misunderstanding and different interpretations of our common language are common as dirt. So if it is important, or you really give a damn, you are obligated to make sure that there is true understanding and not just assumptive understanding.

There's THIS Thursday and NEXT Thursday...I have been having this argument with my dad for years. If I say next weekend, he thinks it's the weekend coming up.

Man, me and Martel have differed on this on quite a few occasions. Like, to me, NEXT thursday means the thursday which is not coming up. So, not THIS thursday (as in, the thursday which is coming up immediately) but NEXT thursday (the thursday after this thursday). If it's thursday, friday, or saturday (generally) when I say next thursday I mean the very next thursday. (confusing enough?)

"next" does not have a variable meaning as far as the grammar of this argument goes. It means the first thursday that comes after the current day. If it's thursday, next thursday is 7 days from now. If it's wednesday, next thursday is tomorrow.

That is how I too look at it.

I never think two weeks in advance, so next Thursday is the one directly coming up.

This one

And "next 4th of July" is the one in 2005. Which may be inconsistent... Although maybe it's the fact that "next" refers to next week or further. I dunno.

This...that...next...upcoming...the one after...

I am so confused.... :lol:

I'm going to go with this one...

Yeah, that's the ticket.

If it's monday and I'm talking about the thursday coming up before this friday, it's "this"
If it's before this thursday and i'm talking about the thursday of the week following the week I'm in, it is "next" thursday.
If it is friday or after and I'm talking about the thursday coming up, it's "this coming" Thursday. When the person I'm talking to gets a confused look on their face, I tell them the date and all is clear.

ngdawg: Tell your dad that over 80% of people (TFPers) polled in a scientific survey (poll thread) agree with you. :D

Over here we add a time scale to things like this (most of the time) so thursday of this week would be thursday/next thursday, and the week after would be a week thursday e.t.c.

Damnit, that makes no sense, i destroyed the meaning of thursday half way through typing by saying it too much.

This could be SOOO argured until the cows come home.......

Exactly. Took me a minute to resolve that in my head after reading the question, though. One of those things you just don't think about much.

Precisely...

That's how I have always refered to it.

I agree, there is definately some flexibility in 'next', depending on how far away the date is.

And don't ever use bimonthly; it is defined as both twice a month and once every two months.

Thursday week, clearly.

Screw Thursday. Who's buying my "next" beer?

Bah. Only because vulgarians have misused it so often that the incorrect usage has become as common as the correct one. Bi-monthly is once every two moths. Twice a month is Semi-monthly. Biweekly is pretty solidly understood as every two weeks (which is not the same as semi-monthly).

It depends. Is the next beer the one you've already ordered, and the waitress is bringing, or is the one you are going to order next?

This Thursday is.. this thursday.
Next Thursday is.. the next thursday.

What about Last? It doesn't have a current week equivalent.. week before last?

last thursday: the previous thursday
this thursday: the next consecutive thursday
next thursday: thursday more than a week away (or if it's thursday when you say it, the next consecutive thursday)

totally next week.

next thursday implies '(not this thursday, but) next thursday'.

Yeah, me too! My mom and I have disagreed on this one for years, though :D

yes. the DATE is the definitive response.

Next seems to be too vague.

Next means the next day of the next week.

Next Thursday means the next Thursday coming up or this Thursday, the Thursday after next means the Thursday after this one or next week, oh nevermind.....

WOO HOO... someone who agrees with me, when I think more than a week ahead, I use specific dates.

what about last Thursday?
If it's Saturday, do you refer to 2 days ago as last thursday or just thursday?
-i doubt this one is quite as confusing, but would last thursday not mean 9 days ago to anyone?

Last Thursday = the Thursday most recent in the past
This Thursday = the Thursday most recent in the future
Next Thursday = the Thursday after This Thursday = the Thursday second most recent in the future

I concur.

Last Thursday i believe refers to the last Thursday just been, however if someone said 'last Thursday' on a Friday, i would infer it as the Thursday a week ago.

This is making me confused

Thats how I would understand it. Im surprised how in the minority I am though .Would never have thought it .

Not this thursday but next thursday. :hmm: