Why sometimes people change the way they say 明日 from あした to みょうにち or あす when confirming a reservation day over the phone?


I noticed that each time I get my haircut reservation to the day after the day
conversation takes place, I hear the person on the other end changing the way
he or she says 明日 from あした to あす or みょうにち, when he or she makes the final
confirmation of reservation day. It happens pretty much every time I do the
reservation over the phone, while I struggle to remember hearing people using
みょうにち in normal life at all.

It sounds like it is done intentionally as it happens every time and not
limited to only one particular person, so I think it is either a company
guideline or some general rule they are following.

The only possible explanation I can see is that it is done to avoid
misunderstanding. I know that 一 and 七, as well as 四月 and 七月 might be mistaken
for each other when spoken over the phone and therefore might require
clarification by using alternative readings. But using alternative readings
for あした baffles me as I can't think of what あした might sound similar to given
the context of the conversation.




Your intuition is correct. It is intentionally done for the purpose of double-
checking and triple-checking the date.

For "tomorrow", we just have three different readings and we take full
advantage of it by using at least two of them in confirming something that is
scheduled for the next day. The same is done with "day after tomorrow" as well
by using both 「あさって」 and 「みょうごにち」. Point is this practice allows you to
utilize both kun-reading and on-reading words in order to avoid any
misunderstanding even if someone has an unusual pronunciation.

BTW,「みょうにち」for "tomorrow" and「みょうごにち」for "day after tomorrow" are used
exclusively in business conversations. Use them with your friends and you will
sound more than just weird.




Your intuition is correct. It is intentionally done for the purpose of double-
checking and triple-checking the date.

For "tomorrow", we just have three different readings and we take full
advantage of it by using at least two of them in confirming something that is
scheduled for the next day. The same is done with "day after tomorrow" as well
by using both 「あさって」 and 「みょうごにち」. Point is this practice allows you to
utilize both kun-reading and on-reading words in order to avoid any
misunderstanding even if someone has an unusual pronunciation.

BTW,「みょうにち」for "tomorrow" and「みょうごにち」for "day after tomorrow" are used
exclusively in business conversations. Use them with your friends and you will
sound more than just weird.

