The King of Moo wrote: » My own experience in noticing how people from different parts of the country speak, and knowledge of how people understand vocabulary.
mickrock wrote: » Because you seem so certain of your position I thought you would have had academic studies to back you up. Your own experience is going to be very limited.
The King of Moo wrote: » Look, the standard usage of "next Saturday" among English speakers around the world is to mean "Saturday of next week," and most people here use it that way. I understand why people confuse "this Saturday" and "next Saturday" but it's not correct and it's not more common.
galljga1 wrote: » Open question: does common usage make a phrase correct?
mickrock wrote: » You've no evidence then?
Maximus Alexander wrote: » Yes, language is always strictly logical.
The King of Moo wrote: » I'll get off this merry-go-round now.
The King of Moo wrote: » Yeah, I actually haven't got round to that academic survey yet, shame on me. Look, the standard usage of "next Saturday" among English speakers around the world is to mean "Saturday of next week," and most people here use it that way. I understand why people confuse "this Saturday" and "next Saturday" but it's not correct and it's not more common. I'll get off this merry-go-round now.
galljga1 wrote: » @day than I have but that is not what I have encountered. What you are stating is your opinion, not "correct".I can throw in "correct", "standard usage", "among English speakers around the world" "most people here use it that way". To be honest, that all means nothing. Next is still "coming immediately after the time of writing or speaking". If persons use it incorrectly, so be it.
bnt wrote: » Here's an idea: If there's a possibility of doubt, just give the date. Effective communication starts with a clear message.
FunLover18 wrote: » Well, as usual late at night and long after this thread has runs its course I've realised how best to tackle this problem and it's not by trying to define 'next', I think the key is 'this'. So here are some scenarios I've come up with, to demonstrate my point, using comparisons that have been brought up earlier. **************** I was at the bus stop with a friend. A bus came around the corner and he asked "Are you getting this bus?", to which I replied "No, I'll get the next one." Later, on the bus, we were approaching a stop I asked "Are we getting off at this stop", he told me to wait until the next stop. **************** 'This' is used with periods of time related to the present eg this week, this Saturday, and 'next' can be defined as coming immediately after the present one in order, rank, or space. 'This Saturday' being the present or current Saturday, May 28th, in relative terms, it therefore makes sense contextually that 'next Saturday' would be the Saturday coming immediately after, June 4th. Anyway, I just wanted to put that out there because I knew I wouldn't have been able to sleep properly otherwise.
Maireadio wrote: » Do you realise how badly you're coming across? And in the blog post you've made on the subject, you even admit that there is no official definitive statement on the correct usage. So why are you dogmatically claiming that the way you use it is correct if the way others use it is different?
The King of Moo wrote: » But through my empirical awareness of what people mean most often when they say "next Saturday," and my knowledge and understanding of the language and which meaning is more likely to be understood, I'm confident in saying what the standard usage of the form is, and the fact that though there's conflict in its usage, the standard form is standard enough to be classed as correct.
Deleted User wrote: » What I love about this thread is that the longer it continues, the more the answer to the question changes.
Maireadio wrote: » That's nice and all, but not very convincing. It's safe to assume most people on this thread have English as their first language. And yet, people have intrepreted the phrase differently. How do you decide that who of those native speakers has it right? And someone pointed out earlier in the thread that where they were in the US, 'next Saturday' is always the upcoming Saturday (i.e. the 28th) and 'this Saturday' is the Saturday just passed. If you are the expert you say you are, convince us, instead of just saying "I'm right" and waffling on as you did above. Just saying you have knowledge isn't very convincing in and of itself.
Be Careful! You don't usually use 'next' to refer to a day in the same week. For example, if it is Monday and you intend to ring someone in four days' time, don't say 'I will ring you next Friday'. You say 'I will ring you on Friday'. He's going camping on Friday. If you want to make it completely clear that you are talking about a day in the same week, you use this. The film opens this Thursday at various cinemas in London. Similarly, you can say that something will happen this weekend. I might be able to go skiing this weekend.
Gebgbegb wrote: » Will the next post be #205 or #206 ?
The King of Moo wrote: » It was #205. "the next post" Next Saturday will be 4th June, but the next Saturday will be 28th May.