If today is Monday, and I say we will meet for dinner next Friday, I mean four days from today.
So why are there so many dummies in the English-speaking world who take “next” to mean “next week” or “two from now”?
Next means next, not two from now.
When I say “next month”, I don’t mean two months from now. When I say “next year”, I don’t mean two years from now. And when I say “next Friday”, I don’t mean two Fridays from now.
Let’s say today is Monday. The Friday that is four days away is “this Friday”.
The Friday that is 11 days away is “next Friday”.
This Friday belongs to this week.
Next Friday belongs to next week.
No!
In this context, I agree with cazzle.
Same here.
I, too, am with cazzle. When people say “next Friday,” I always clarify with them that they really mean the Friday after this one.
context, agree with cazzle.
Even though they can often be used in similar structures, there’s a difference between words like “month”, “day” and “year”; and words like “October” and “Friday”. So drawing an analogy between one set and the other set doesn’t always work. For instance, if something happens every month, it happens 12 times a year; if something happens every October, it happens once a year, even though October is a month.
Agreed with Cazzle - why would you say “next” in this context at all then, if it’s superfluous?
Ja, next friday means not this one coming up, but the next one after that.
ie. I agree with Cazzle
Yep! I’ve never heard someone refer to this coming Friday as “next” Friday.
Or if I have, I don’t remember.
I agree with Walloon that the way it is commonly used isn’t very logical.
Unforunately, logic and tradition have little to do with each other. I just accept it and always clarify. (But you’ll never hear me say “next Friday!”)
The only time I clarify and say ‘next’ would be the day before (i.e. Thursday, in this example), the day of (Friday) and possibly the day after(Saturday) to avoid confusion. Otherwise I would say Friday, meaning the first Friday coming up.
I have to agree with cazzle, as well. That’s why I always told my students to say either ‘this coming Friday’ or ‘Friday of next week’ to avoid confusion.
Yep, one more vote for cazzle. Quite the stud, ain’t you, cazz?
Count me in, anything in this time frame (this week/Thursday) is “this”, while anything in the next time frame is “next” (next week/Thurdsay).
Can ya feel the love yet cazzle? 
Thank you, thank you.
Some may think this is merely an example of me being right, but I prefer to think of it as a popularity contest. You love me, you really love me!
Another vote for cazzle. That’s just the way it is.
And yes, cazzle, we do love you. Even though you’re not from Encino. (Sorry, that is a very obscure Sally Field reference.)
Just because you take up a contrary position, doesn’t mean you’re arguing.
Friday of this week is just “Friday”.
Friday of next week is “Friday week”.
Friday of the week after is “Friday fortnight”.
Is this just an Irish/British thing?