Non-motoring > Which day is which?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Crankcase	Replies: 58

New Mon 22 Oct 18 18:44   Which day is which? - Crankcase

Gather round chaps. It's Monday now. I say "Alexa, add (irrelevant detail) to my calendar next Friday at 9am". She responds with the date which is a week on Friday. I say no and ask again for "THIS Friday", and she gets it right. Is this how the Americans do it, or is it just me? If it's Monday, then in my head the words "next Friday" and "this Friday" both mean in four days time. If I want what she thinks, I'd say "a week on Friday". In the spirit of sisterhood, Mrs C agrees with Alexa, of course. What do we reckon? When is next Friday? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 18:54   Which day is which? - Mapmaker

I would never use 'next Friday' owing to the inherent ambiguity. My inclination is to agree with Alexa. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 18:57   Which day is which? - R.P.

And me. She's very literal... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 20:55   Which day is which? - PeterS

And me too. But I know people have different interpretations so wouldn’t use the phrase if in doubt! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 21:50   Which day is which? - Bromptonaut

In British English this Friday/next Friday etc mean different things in different places - regional English in action. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 18:56   Which day is which? - Duncan

And you paid good money to have that argument with some bits of plastic and a few electronic bits and bobs! Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:02   Which day is which? - Crankcase

Never keen to lose an argument with some bits of plastic, I just asked her "how many days until next Friday". Four, she says. Hah! Anyway, I don't see ambiguity. Next means "the one after the last", so for me "next Friday" is perfectly clear. It's the next Friday. Last edited by: Crankcase on Mon 22 Oct 18 at 19:03 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:12   Which day is which? - R.P.

No point arguing with her though. At least she has an off switch. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:15   Which day is which? - CGNorwich

You are of course correct in a literal sense. The confusion arises from the use of "this Friday" to mean the same thing. The problem lies with us and not Alexa. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:21   Which day is which? - Duncan

At which point would "next Friday" not mean the immediately next Friday? If I asked you on Thursday October 25th when you are next seeing your lover, and you replied "next Friday", you wouldn't mean the 26th, would you? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:42   Which day is which? - Crankcase

>> At which point would "next Friday" not mean the immediately next Friday? I'd say "tomorrow" the day before, Duncan. On days preceding Thursday I'd probably say "on Friday". Well, I wouldn't, I'd say "never", but anyway. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:22   Which day is which? - sooty123

I'd just use 'friday' for the one coming up. The one after that 'next Friday ' keeps things simple. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:29   Which day is which? - R.P.

Try "Friday week" and see what happens ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:35   Which day is which? - No FM2R

We are in this year. So that's this November, this December, next January, next February. We're in this week. So that's this Friday, this Saturday, next Monday, next Tuesday. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 19:45   Which day is which? - Crankcase

So in five days time that's "this weekend"? To me, that's clearly "next weekend", but I'm only making the same point I suppose. Of course, "what did you do this weekend" also clearly means the one that's just gone, aka "last weekend". In a month it will be "this November", and also... hmm... wait.. it's all getting a bit shaky now. Yes, well, ok, maybe "next November" is 2019. I don't know any more, I'm so confused. Last edited by: Crankcase on Mon 22 Oct 18 at 19:46 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 20:27   Which day is which? - Manatee

I'm with Alexa, I can remember my mum explaining it to me! Maybe Alexa is from Yorkshire. But I am mindful that "next Friday" can be misunderstood. Friday week is better. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 20:54   Which day is which? - PeterS

Five days time has to be this weekend, because it’s this week. The weekend we’ve just had is last weekend. And the question to ask is what did you do at the weekend. Next weekend is the the one at the end of next week :) Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 22:08   Which day is which? - Zero

I am with alexa, "Friday" is the next friday, the "next friday" is the friday after clear? Last edited by: Zero on Mon 22 Oct 18 at 22:08 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 22:21   Which day is which? - Duncan

Alexa is not English. Why should we take any notice of what she says? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 23:08   Which day is which? - smokie

I would have agreed with you. But Google Home thinks next Friday is 2nd November, and she knows everything. Reply to this message | Report message       4

New Mon 22 Oct 18 23:21   Which day is which? - CGNorwich

Perhaps we should just count the number of days since 1900 and use that to identify the day we mean like in Excel. Clearer that way. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 23:21   Which day is which? - PeterS

>> I would have agreed with you. >> >> But Google Home thinks next Friday is 2nd November, and she knows everything. >> Siri is in agreement Last Friday was October 19th This Friday is October 26th Next Friday is November 2nd Easy :p And, to be fair, logical :) Last edited by: PeterS on Mon 22 Oct 18 at 23:23 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 23:20   Which day is which? - R.P.

Alexa is a set of algorithms and a server somewhere. It has no nationality or gender Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 23:23   Which day is which? - CGNorwich

How can you say that? She loves me and told me so. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 22 Oct 18 23:40   Which day is which? - R.P.

Oddly, I asked her that very question earlier...I mean "it" !!! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 00:09   Which day is which? - Roger.

Next Friday is the 26th of October. It logically can be nothing else. On the 26th of October it will be" this Friday". That refers to the here and now (at that time). The 2nd of November may be spoken of (in this current week) as Friday of next week. It is certainly not next Friday! Sorted with the help of two large Bombay Sapphires and tonic. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:17   Which day is which? - Cliff Pope

If on a Thursday you refer to "next Friday" does anyone seriously think it means tomorrow? "Next" means the one after the one you are looking at. As by custom we look at time in terms of weeks - TV programmes, working days, shopping, pushing off early for the weekend, etc - then "next" means the event happening next week, not this week. In a different context, the time period might be for instance the year. Shopping in December, we wouldn't call the approaching eating binge "next Christmas". That would mean the one happening the following year - "Next Christmas I'm going to do my shopping earlier" Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:22   Which day is which? - R.P.

Just asked Alexa what the date was next Friday was...she said the 26th...! :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:23   Which day is which? - Cliff Pope

Try it on Thursday evening :) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:26   Which day is which? - Runfer D'Hills

Try asking "her" when is the Next Sale... ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:31   Which day is which? - R.P.

I will Cliff. Set a reminder on it to do. It doesn't know Humph. Last edited by: R.P. on Tue 23 Oct 18 at 12:31 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:36   Which day is which? - Runfer D'Hills

Pity, I was rather hoping it was going to say "next Friday" ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:45   Which day is which? - tyrednemotional

......I shall have to get one. It seems like it could bring hours of undiluted fun........ ;-( Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:48   Which day is which? - R.P.

Hahahahaha...it sits there, currently playing R4. All the other bits are just extra. What I find truly useful is the Shopping List thingy. Items are added in between shops and then accessible on the phone App. I will forget written shopping lists, but not my phone. Really useful. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 15:43   Which day is which? - tyrednemotional

>> Really useful. >> ....sounds great......though no doubt you'll be on the receiving end of adverts from Amazon for calendars for the foreseeable future....... :-( Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 12:53   Which day is which? - VxFan

They might have fixed it by now, but try asking Alexa “What’s 10 to the power of 308?” Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 15:47   Which day is which? - R.P.

I did...she gave a me a load of numbers as an answer. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 15:58   Which day is which? - Crankcase

Happened to meet my sister today. In the course of conversation she used the phrase "next Thursday", so I interrupted her to talk about all this. She uses the word as I do - next means the next one, not the following week. She was astonished anybody could use it differently, even though I said we were apparently alone in this usage. I suspect she will now straw poll others. Interesting Alexa uses the word in both ways, according to what you ask. "Set an event for next Friday" and you get the week on Friday date. "How many days until next Friday" and you get the couple of days answer. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 16:03   Which day is which? - R.P.

Whilst I was painting a wall earlier (boring, but it does give you time to think). I would use "this coming Friday" for the 26th and on Wednesday may morph into "the day after tomorrow" But certainly if I was fixing an appointment for "next Friday" I feel I'd have to clarify whether it was this coming Friday or a week on Friday. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 16:41   Which day is which? - Cliff Pope

> >> >> She was astonished anybody could use it differently, even though I said we were apparently >> alone in this usage. >> I am equally mystified how anyone could see it your way :) The days of the week form a fixed set of 7 days, rotating in immutable sequence. "This" and "Next" have to relate to something, and as I see it the something is the basic unit, the week. Because the names repeat when we move into successive weeks, we have to have a quick way of distinguishing the closest and usually most important ones. So we have this week, next week, and last week - this Friday, next Friday, last Friday. If in your system next Friday means 3 days time, in the same week, then what does this Friday mean? Do you have two names, this and next, for the same day? Or does "this" Friday not exist? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:04   Which day is which? - Crankcase

>> >> If in your system next Friday means 3 days time, in the same week, then >> what does this Friday mean? Do you have two names, this and next, for the >> same day? Or does "this" Friday not exist? >> Yes, "next" and "this" means the same to me. In that context. You have to remember I didn't exactly sit down and decide to be awkward about it. I can fully see all the explanation as to why everybody's else's way is sensible and so on. It's just never occurred to me that I was doing anything differently, as I've never come across an issue before, never mind analysed it in this kind of excruciating detail. With that in mind, I'm now intrigued as to why my sister thought the same. I'll have to ask my other sisters what they think. Maybe it's a family thing, or maybe as Bromptonaut alluded to upthread, it's regional. I'm wondering what else I do that's different to the entire world, apart, of course, from apparently everything. Last edited by: Crankcase on Tue 23 Oct 18 at 17:05 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:24   Which day is which? - Runfer D'Hills

In Scotland, you'll sometimes hear tomorrow morning described as "The morn's morn", and tomorrow night as "The morn's nicht". Glad to be of help. ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:32   Which day is which? - tyrednemotional

...I bet Alexa has never uttered either of those phrases........ Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:46   Which day is which? - R.P.

McAlexa may. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:49   Which day is which? - Runfer D'Hills

That sounds more like a disease. "Poor Henry, he's had a terrible bout of Mcalexamay you know, dashed nearly saw him orf" Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:52   Which day is which? - R.P.

Hahahahaha...! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:55   Which day is which? - tyrednemotional

>> That sounds more like a disease. "Poor Henry, he's had a terrible bout of Mcalexamay >> you know, dashed nearly saw him orf" >> ....thought you might have to mourn him in the morn?........ Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:20   Which day is which? - R.P.

That'll happen next Friday ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:22   Which day is which? - tyrednemotional

>> That'll happen next Friday ! >> ....now is that...............? aaaaaargh ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:27   Which day is which? - Runfer D'Hills

So, on Thursday next, poor Henry will be shuffling off his mortal coil, the morn's morn. All clear now. Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Tue 23 Oct 18 at 18:27 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:50   Which day is which? - tyrednemotional

....any relation to Theresa May.....? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 17:53   Which day is which? - R.P.

I met up with some American friends in the summer and took them for a drive around the touristy bits. They had Google Maps on their phone. I was surprised (but I shouldn't be) to hear the directions read out in a female American accent..surreal... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:01   Which day is which? - Crankcase

I have my Tomtom set to an Australian female accent. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:05   Which day is which? - Runfer D'Hills

Read somewhere, that men usually choose a female sat nav "voice" and women a man's. If the option is available. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:07   Which day is which? - No FM2R

I get the choice between a very clear US female with no Spanish accent pronouncing Spanish road names as a literal cockney or a drunk Chilean male who I cannot for the life of me understand. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:21   Which day is which? - Crankcase

So, that's your socia life. But what about your satnav? Last edited by: Crankcase on Tue 23 Oct 18 at 18:21 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:21   Which day is which? - No FM2R

Many a true word...……... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 23 Oct 18 18:26   Which day is which? - R.P.

BiggerBadderDave will be along shortly.. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 24 Oct 18 02:06   Which day is which? - VxFan

>> I did...she gave a me a load of numbers as an answer. it's the way she delivers the long list of numbers that makes it odd. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSh1Z1q0veg Reply to this message | Report message