What does "pushed back" & "next week" REALLY mean?

I subscribe to The Word Guy from ArcaMax.com.  Last week he was talking about how there is a problem with communication when you talk about moving a meeting time.  Some say they moved the meeting back when they mean back in time and some say it when they mean they moved the meeting back, meaning for a later date.   So to ensure that your listeners understand how you mean it, The Word Guy suggests that you just say that the meeting will be held a month later (or earlier).  With so much miscommunication, I suggest you clarify it even further by saying, THE MEETING IS AT 8AM ON FRIDAY JUNE 3, 2011.  ;D There's a similar problem with saying "next week" or "next Thursday."  It's Tuesday afternoon and you're talking to your friend who says,  "Come over next Thursday and bring the kids."  Does she mean to invite you for not this coming Thursday, but the following Thursday?  Or does she really mean next?  The very next Thursday is two days from now.  But isn't it odd for someone to call two days from now "next Thursday?"  Wouldn't she simply say, "Come over on Thursday?"  So perhaps she means the following Thursday. So you say something brilliant like, "You mean next Thursday?"  And she wonders if you mean this Thursday or the following Thursday so she says, "Well, this next Thursday."  And you still don't know what Thursday she's talking about. You: "So this Thursday?" Her: "No next Thursday." You: "The following Thursday, then?" Her: "Yes, well, the Thursday after this next Thursday." You: "So it is the following Thursday." "COME OVER AT NOON ON THURSDAY, JULY 29TH, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2010. " Have you ever had a frustrating conversation where you weren't sure when the meeting was?  Come share!