at cross-purposes: o que isso significa?

Imagine this: you're talking to a classmate of yours about an assignment you've been working on and there seem to be a lot of misunderstandings. The thing is, when you're in the middle of a major discussion, you two find out you're talking about completely different things. It's like you're speaking two different languages. So here's what you say: We're discussing at cross-purposes. I know you have different points of view, but let's try to focus here.

So here are a few combinations you can use with the expression "at cross-purposes": talk at cross-purposes, work at cross-purposes, discuss at cross-purposes. Those are the kinds of things you usually do with other people and can therefore be in complete disharmony with them. Have you ever worked with somebody that seems to be disturbing you more than helping? You can say you and that person are working at cross-purposes. You may have different goals that are interfering with each other. In the case of a discussion, for example, maybe there's the encounter of opposite viewpoints. That's it for today. Talk to you next time!