# When Did "On Tomorrow" Become a Thing (Language Use) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2023, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715 "2023-07-07T05:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/41 "2023-07-07T17:46:54Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Could someone please use the phrase ‘on accident’ in a sentence? With some meaningful context of course. I don’t recall ever hearing this. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you. I did it on accident.” That’s language I would use. I had no idea it was nonstandard. I’m in Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/42 "2023-07-07T21:41:19Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > In local dialects (SE Louisiana), “on accident” and “by accident” are completely interchangeable. Same in California. Nobody but English teachers complain about it. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/43 "2023-07-07T22:51:05Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I’m an American living in Arkansas. The first people I noticed this 3-4 years ago from some of my younger African American coworkers who were in their twenties. I’m in west Tennessee and that is my experience as well. > [@bordelond](#): > > As above, this would be in the New Orleans metro area. It’s looking like this may be a mid-southern expression. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/44 "2023-07-08T01:00:43Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@bordelond](#): > > > > In local dialects (SE Louisiana), “on accident” and “by accident” are completely interchangeable. > > Same in California. Nobody but English teachers complain about it. Fascinating. I grew up in SoCal but left in the early 1980s and have not lived nearby since. I totally do not recognize “on accident” from there then. If anyone ever said it back then, they sounded like a total Okie hick doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/45 "2023-07-08T01:07:05Z")
A few years ago I met someone who regularly says “on tomorrow” (I may have even made a post about it). It appears to be a Southern thing > **[On Tomorrow](https://painintheenglish.com/case/3919)** > > After moving from Chicago down to northeastern Georgia, I have noticed an extremely vexing trend among many of the native Southerners. The phrase “on tomorrow,” i.e. “We will have a staff meeting on tomorrow.” The first time I heard this spoken out... I hear "on accident " fairly often, but always with a bit of a tone indicating thst the speaker is being deliberately (mildly) funny ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/46 "2023-07-08T01:18:36Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Fascinating. I grew up in SoCal but left in the early 1980s and have not lived nearby since. I totally do not recognize “on accident” from there then. I grew up here and still live here. I’ve started to hear “on accident” over the last decade or so, but it’s kinda like fingernails on a blackboard to me. I don’t say anything or object to it. I just find it clunky and dumb sounding. I’ve _never_ heard “on tomorrow.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/47 "2023-07-08T02:08:08Z")
Hmm. I’m also from Arkansas, but in the northern part of the state. I’ve not heard “on tomorrow” or “on yesterday” either. I would omit the “on.” Come to think of it, though, I can also omit the “on” with specific days of the week. “I’ll have this ready for you Tuesday” means the same thing as “I’ll have this ready for you on Tuesday.” But, in those cases, both sound fine to me. I’m also curious: are there any situations where they do not use “on”? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/48 "2023-07-08T03:01:55Z")
Never ever heard that before. (On tomorrow.) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/49 "2023-07-08T05:50:29Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’m also curious: are there any situations where they do not use “on”? I can’t say I’ve done a great job keeping track well enough to notice. It took me a while to even think I should ask if anyone else ever hears someone say “on tomorrow.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/50 "2023-07-08T13:58:19Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > Fascinating. I grew up in SoCal but left in the early 1980s and have not lived nearby since. I totally do not recognize “on accident” from there then. > > I grew up here and still live here. I’ve started to hear “on accident” over the last decade or so, but it’s kinda like fingernails on a blackboard to me. I don’t say anything or object to it. I just find it clunky and dumb sounding. Given the ongoing level of immigration to CA from the midwest and northeast, all sorts of ignorant impure speech ~~will soon be ruining~~ has already ruined the pure dulcet tones and wisely ideal idioms of traditional SoCal English. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/51 "2023-07-08T16:13:41Z")
I think you’re right! 😭 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/52 "2023-07-08T16:51:09Z")
It’s preferable to believe that “on tomorrow” never happened, like “sweet tea”. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/53 "2023-07-08T19:55:37Z")
I haven’t heard it but it sounds vaguely like constructs used in countries where English is very popular but still a second language. I have heard people from India say things like, “today morning” and “do the needful” that I don’t hear from other English speakers. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/54 "2023-07-08T22:58:57Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > It’s preferable to believe that “on tomorrow” never happened, like “sweet tea”. 👍 👍 👍 ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/55 "2023-07-09T15:42:18Z")
I understand your meaning about “youngling”, but note that “Youngling” has been in continuous use in English since before the Saxons came to Britain. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715/56 "2023-07-09T15:51:59Z")
Wow. I did not know that. The one and only place I’ve ever heard it was in that film. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-on-tomorrow-become-a-thing-language-use/986715.md?page=2)