Usage of word 'next'

[raj]

I apologize but my last message was a blank one.

Here's my question.

If today(Tuesday), I use this sentence:
'Please meet me next friday at 8am'

1) Am i referring to the 17th or 24th?

2) What if this question is posed on Thursday, Dec 16?

I believe there is inherent confusion about the word 'next' and hence would like an answer from someone qualified to answer it.

[Torsten]

Here are my suggestions:

1) Please, meet me on Friday, December 17th./Please, meet me this Friday./Please, meet me on Friday.
[next Friday is December, the 23rd; this Friday is December, the 17th and last Friday was December, the 10th.]

2) Please, meet me tomorrow.

In business correspondence you usually indicate a date when you suggest or make an appointment in order to avoid any ambiguities.

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[Alan]

To me next simply means the one following a similar one that has gone before or is currently here.. So next week means the week following the one we are currently in. If I said next Tuesday it would suggest that I'm speaking from the standpoint of a current Tuesday. If you speak using next Friday from a day that isn't a Friday without specifying the date, you are asking for trouble and possibly will end up at a rendezvous on your own!
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