# If today is Monday, what is Wednesday . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 1, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122 "2010-11-01T20:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/1 "2010-11-01T20:58:46Z")
Do you say _ **next** _ Wednesday or _ **this coming** _ Wednesday? How far out does the future day have to be in order to call it “_ **next** _.” ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/2 "2010-11-01T21:02:45Z")
Just “this Wednesday.” The next week’s Wednesday is “next Wednesday.” ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/3 "2010-11-01T21:03:04Z")
When I say **next Wednesday** , I mean the Wednesday that’s in next week. Today being Monday, Nov. 1, next Wednesday is the 10th. There is always exactly one Sunday between the current day and “next Wednesday”. Having said that, this kind of thing pretty much always leads to confusion, so I try to never use this type of construction. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/4 "2010-11-01T21:39:34Z")
**It’s not a matter of opinion.** Next Wednesday refers to the Wednesday that occurs nine days from today (if today is Monday). ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/5 "2010-11-01T21:41:19Z")
Oh, Og. This caused so many arguments between my ex-husband and I. Even after I figured out the source of the confusion and stopped using the construction, he’d still argue with me about how I \*used \*to say it. :rolleyes: Day after tomorrow: Wednesday or this Wednesday “I’ve got class on [or this] Wednesday.” In 9 days: next Wednesday. “The kids are off school next Wednesday.” Next isn’t the very next, but the Wednesday that comes after the very next. The very next is this or no modifier at all. I still don’t see why this is unclear. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/6 "2010-11-01T21:57:51Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > When I say **next Wednesday** , I mean the Wednesday that’s in next week. Today being Monday, Nov. 1, next Wednesday is the 10th. There is always exactly one Sunday between the current day and “next Wednesday”. > > Having said that, this kind of thing pretty much always leads to confusion, so I try to never use this type of construction. Me too. I say, “Wednesday, two days from today” or “Wednesday, nine days from today.” But most people use “this” and “next” and frequently they do it wrong, so I have to ask them what they mean. I also respond “Correct” when people need confirmation that they’re supposed to turn left. And I don’t use the words “bi-monthly” or “semi-monthly” since they both seem to mean either “twice a month” or “once every two months”. I recently heard a Brit friend use the word “fortnightly” and I’m adding that to my working vocabulary. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/7 "2010-11-01T22:05:15Z")
You could save a lot of trouble by using day-counting locutions, like “day after tomorrow” or “one day from now.” Then you get to fight over how precisely you count days. (Is tomorrow a day from now, or does “one day from now” refer to the day after tomorrow? Similarly, was a day ago Sunday or Saturday?) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/8 "2010-11-01T22:14:21Z")
This, next? 😃 CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/9 "2010-11-01T22:45:10Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > **It’s not a matter of opinion.** Cite please. 😛 Merriam Webster says: [next](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/next) (adj) : immediately adjacent (as in place, rank, or time) So, for me, “next Wednesday” would logically mean (since today is Monday) Wednesday in two days, not Wednesday in nine days. The Wednesday in two days is the next one to arrive. When I’m in line, and I say “the next person in line”, it’s the person immediately behind me, not the person two behind me. If I say “the next red light”, it will be the first one I encounter, not the second one. etc… In short (assuming today = Monday) next Wednesday is in two days, the Wednesday after next is in nine days, and so on. But since this often gives rise to confusion, and my wife disagrees with me (WhyNot sounds like she has to deal with the same issue), I now say “Wednesday in nine days” or “Wednesday in two days” to avoid miscommunication. When someone tells me “next Friday”, I always clarify (Friday in four days, or Friday in nine days?) P.S. When you say Wednesday, whose bright idea was it to decide that the first “d” is not pronounced? People say it “Wensday”, it should be Wed-nes-day. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/10 "2010-11-01T22:52:31Z")
Monday- This Wednesday: 2 days from now Next Wednesday: Ditto Next week Wednesday: 9 days from now. Friday- This Wednesday: Two days ago Next Wednesday: 5 days from now Next Week Wednesday: Ditto ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/11 "2010-11-01T23:03:59Z")
It is ambiguous but the way I know it is: Day after tomorrow: Weds. or: this Weds. 9 days from now: next Weds. or the way I prefer: “Weds. week” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/12 "2010-11-01T23:25:15Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > or the way I prefer: “Weds. week” Your location says Northfield, IL, but this sounds very Commonwealth. > [@Jragon](#): > > Next week Wednesday Where are _you_ from? I’ve never heard this. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/13 "2010-11-02T01:10:28Z")
The day two days from now is this (or this coming) Wednesday. The day nine days from now is next Wednesday, or Wednesday of next week. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/14 "2010-11-02T01:25:15Z")
> [@palindromemordnilap](#): > > And I don’t use the words “bi-monthly” or “semi-monthly” since they both seem to mean either “twice a month” or “once every two months”. I recently heard a Brit friend use the word “fortnightly” and I’m adding that to my working vocabulary. Hmmm. But what if he says “bi-fortnightly” or “semi-fortnightly”? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/15 "2010-11-02T01:28:46Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > Hmmm. But what if he says “bi-fortnightly” or “semi-fortnightly”? You string him up by his thumbs. It’s no worse than he deserves. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/16 "2010-11-02T01:38:48Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > Hmmm. But what if he says “bi-fortnightly” or “semi-fortnightly”? > [@Derleth](#): > > You string him up by his thumbs. It’s no worse than he deserves. I wonder if you have the same confusion with bi-sexual and semi-sexual - although with the former you could argue that confusion is part of the allure. 😃 edit: WARNING - once we haul out sexual innuendo, you know the Nazi comparisons can’t be far behind. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/17 "2010-11-02T01:47:09Z")
If this is Nov. 1, then Nov. 3 is this Wednesday. Or this coming Wednesday. Nov. 10 is next Wednesday. Or Wednesday after this. Or Wednesday next week, depending on how much clarification is needed. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/18 "2010-11-02T02:04:34Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > **It’s not a matter of opinion.** Next Wednesday refers to the Wednesday that occurs nine days from today (if today is Monday). This is the correct answer. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/19 "2010-11-02T02:07:17Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > So, for me, “next Wednesday” would logically mean (since today is Monday) Wednesday in two days, not Wednesday in nine days. The Wednesday in two days is the next one to arrive. When I’m in line, and I say “\*\*the \*\*next person in line”, it’s the person immediately behind me, not the person two behind me. If I say “\*\*the \*\*next red light”, it will be the first one I encounter, not the second one. etc… In short (assuming today = Monday) next Wednesday is in two days, the Wednesday after next is in nine days, and so on. (bolding mine) Ah, but that “the” makes all the difference. “\*\*The \*\*next Wednesday” does indeed indicate the one in two days, but it’s awkward sounding and no one actually says that unless they’ve had this argument with their spouse before 😉 And yes, if we’re less than 1/8 of a mile away from a light at driving speed, “turn at the next light” certainly does mean skip this one that we’re too close to safely stop at and turn at the next one 1/4 mile away, please. “Next” means not this one, the next one. Perfectly logical. This Wednesday is the one fast approaching. Next is the next one. (Note: I don’t expect to win the argument this time around, either. But still I try, dammit!) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122/20 "2010-11-02T02:47:21Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > So, for me, “next Wednesday” would logically mean (since today is Monday) Wednesday in two days, not Wednesday in nine days. The Wednesday in two days is the next one to arrive. When I’m in line, and I say “the next person in line”, it’s the person immediately behind me, not the person two behind me. If I say “the next red light”, it will be the first one I encounter, not the second one. etc… In short (assuming today = Monday) next Wednesday is in two days, the Wednesday after next is in nine days, and so on. But because we think of days being grouped in weeks, the “next in line” argument doesn’t apply. “Next week” is a consistent and standardised phrase, and the “next” in “next Wednesday” isn’t referring to the approaching day with that name, but the day coming in the week referred to as “next”. “Next Wednesday” = “Wednesday Next Week”. They are exact equivalents. (Similarly, if it is currently Friday, “Last Wednesday” = “Wednesday Last Week”. The more immediately previous Wednesday is “This past Wednesday”) Because weeks recur and are short, we need a standardised reference for approaching weekdays to eliminate confusion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-today-is-monday-what-is-wednesday/559122.md?page=2)