be at cross purposes
食い違っている
解説 Definition
互いの意図や目的が食い違っており、噛み合わない状態であること。
If people are at cross purposes, they misunderstand each other because they have different goals or are talking about different things. The phrase is often used when communication is confused or unhelpful. It can describe both disagreements and simple misunderstandings.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
cross は「交差する」、purposes は「目的・意図」。相手と自分の purpose が十字に交差して、同じ会話をしているのに進む方向だけがずれている場面を映像で覚えると残りやすい表現です。単なる disagreement のような「意見の不一致」より、前提や狙いが食い違って話がかみ合わない感じ。be talking at cross purposes, We were at cross purposes. のように、会話・交渉・メールの行き違いでよく使われます。
`Cross` suggests lines going in different directions, and `purposes` are aims or intentions. So the image is two people crossing each other instead of moving together. It is especially useful for conversations where both sides are talking, but not matching the same point.
例文
The two departments were at cross purposes, each working toward conflicting goals without realizing it.
二つの部署は食い違っており、それぞれが気づかないまま相反する目標に向かって作業していた。
We were at cross purposes during the meeting — I was discussing the budget while she was talking about staffing.
会議で話が食い違っていた。私は予算について話していたが、彼女は人員配置について話していた。
The negotiations failed because the two sides were clearly at cross purposes from the start.
双方が最初から明らかに食い違っていたため、交渉は失敗に終わった。
be at cross purposes の類義語・関連語
be at cross purposes の語源・成り立ち Etymology
cross はラテン語 crux 系、purpose は古フランス語 purpos を経てラテン語 proponere「前に置く」にさかのぼります。pro-「前へ」+ pose 系で propose と同根なので、「目的同士が交差して話がかみ合わない」情景がそのまま意味です。
Cross purposes combines cross, in the sense of things going against or across each other, and purpose, which came through Old French from Latin roots behind propose. The image is of aims or intentions moving in different directions. From that, the phrase came to mean people misunderstanding each other because their intentions do not match.
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