Discovering the etymological origin of the term crossroads is the first thing we are going to do before establishing its meaning. Specifically, we can determine that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly the result of the sum of several lexical components:
-The prefix “en-”, which can be translated as “en”.
-The noun “crux, crucis”, which is synonymous with “cross”.
-The suffix “-ata”, which is used to form adjectives, nouns or participles.
A crossroads is a place where two or more roads or tracks meet . In this crossing, the paths overlap or cross each other.
For example: “Let's look for someone to tell us which path we should follow after this crossroads to get to the refuge” , “I have a crossroads ahead and I don't know how to continue: should I take the road on the left or the other?" , “The train driver, upon arriving at the crossroads, took the wrong path and that is why he ended up causing an accident.”
Crossroads are road intersections . They can be formed by the crossing of streets, routes (roads), highways, railways or other types of paths. The purpose of these crossings is to enable the user to exchange paths : upon reaching the crossroads, the person can change direction or continue along the same path.
The concept of crossroads can also be used symbolically to refer to a complex situation that leaves an individual in a state of confusion or doubt: he does not know what decision to make or what action to take in the face of the difficulty or dilemma that is presented to him. .
Suppose that a footballer has verbally agreed to join a club. However, an hour before signing the corresponding contract , he receives a call from the president of another institution, who offers him much more money to join his team. The athlete faces a crossroads: he hesitates between fulfilling his verbal commitment or accepting the new proposal that is more convenient for him.
In the field of culture, the term in question has been used on numerous occasions to give titles to works of different types. This would be the case, for example, of the film “Crossroads of Hate”, which was released in 1947 under the direction of Edward Dmytryk.
Robert Mitchum, Robert Young and Gloria Grahame are some of the actors who are part of the cast of this feature film that revolves around the investigation of the murder of a man, who has been found dead after having suffered a severe beating.
In the same way, within the field of music we come across an important song ranked among the best couplets in history. It is titled “Encrucijada” and was released by the Sevillian singer Marifé de Triana. Rafael Rabay is the composer of that song, which was released in 1981 and became one of the artist's greatest hits.
Therefore, among the synonyms of crossroads, crossing, bifurcation, crossing or confluence stand out, as well as dilemma, dilemma and alternative.