This - Next - Following - Native English speakers please.

[kiwitt]

English is my second language and I have a little problem with grammar, you may be able to assist.

"This Thursday" is the first Thursday coming up.
I use "the following Thursday" to refer to the second Thursday coming up.
I always thought "Next Thursday" was the first thursday coming up.

Is "Next Thursday", the first or second Thursday coming up ?

[Templar Knight]

''Next thursday'' is the second one - if it was in the same week you would say ''this thursday''

[kiwitt]

So the "week" is silent, i.e. This "weeks" Thursday. Next "weeks" Thursday.

Also This "weeks" weekend, Next "weeks" weekend.

[Templar Knight]

yep, its silent - just ''this weekend'' and ''next weekend''

[kiwitt]

Thanks TK. I will try to remember this little rule.

Isn't the English language wonderful, it has silent letters as well as silent words.

[Templar Knight]

glad to help - silence is golden

[Quid]

Kivitt, this is actually quite a perplexing question and not only to non-native speakers. English is also my second language but I have made it my mission to correct my students on it; even if it happens to be their mothertongue.

Now, common logic would dictate that 'next' means 'the following'. 'This', however, would dictate even earlier. So, following that logic, 'next' would mean the one after 'this' as Teutonic suggested. It is also true that Sunday does frequently constitute a mental barrier and therefore, you simply cannot be sure what the speaker means.

To conclude, ask if you're unsure. I always do. If they use 'this', the matter is usually clear; it they use 'next', it pays to ask.

Quid

[Laridus Konivaich]

Personally I most often say a week from (xy day), if there would be confusion. Here (US) you usually drop the this or next and the Thursday, simply saying, "Like, ya' know..."

seriously: I am always just saying 'on thursday' interchangably with 'this Thursday', or if it is two thursdays away, 'a week from thursday'.

It is helpful to reference the days that way, because you are always refereing to the next one, trouble is if the day to which you refer was yesterday (eg Monday and it is Tuesday), then people are unsure if you mean yesterday or in six days, so you would say 'next monday'.

'This' or no preposition generally apply to the current week, next to the following week.

[Al Khalifah]

In English conversations, whenever someone says "this thursday" or "next thursday" its pretty much always followed by "what? this thursday coming or the thursday after that" and then it normally goes on for a while from there till someone is sensible and comes up with a date.

[Laridus Konivaich]

In English conversations, whenever someone says "this thursday" or "next thursday" its pretty much always followed by "what? this thursday coming or the thursday after that" and then it normally goes on for a while from there till someone is sensible and comes up with a date.

lol, so true. Also accompanied by the pulling out of pocket calendars.

[Al Khalifah]

People also tend to look at their watches, even though their watches do not contain the information required on them. They actually do this even if they're not wearing a watch - just look at people.

[Ldvs]

In English conversations, whenever someone says "this thursday" or "next thursday" its pretty much always followed by "what? this thursday coming or the thursday after that" and then it normally goes on for a while from there till someone is sensible and comes up with a date.

Obviously it's not a problem specific to English. When you speak French it's exactly the same, although I've never actually noticed people are looking at their watches. I'll pay more careful attention next time

[Uesugi Kenshin]

My watch tells the date and from that I can figure out the date of a specific day of the week, such as next Thursday.