Originally Posted By: tsuwm
>Is there rhyme or reason to the way Americans use 'this' and 'next'

in my experience, no.

this is not to say that there *shouldn't be, rhyme or reason.

Not for Australians either. In fact I and the Pookwife disagree over the use and meaning of the words "next" and "this" in this context. If it were Monday and I said "next Friday" I would mean the same thing as if I said "this Friday" - that is, the NEXT Friday that comes, or this coming Friday, same thing. But if she said "next Friday" she would always mean Friday next week.