Would you like to let somebody know that you are in agreement with something they have said, or that you see something in the same way? The term 'on the same page' can be used to apply to most such situations. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The term 'on the same page' is a common expression used in the English language.
'On the same page' is a saying that often gets used to indicate that two parties agree on something, or means to say that two parties (or people) see things from the same point-of-view.
The meaning of the expression rarely refers to literal reading. In some circumstances, this usage of the expression is possible when two parties are reading out of the same text (whilst one party is trying to keep up the same page) – e.g. in the context of a lecture.
Sometimes the term 'on the same page' can be applied as a question that asks if someone else understands or agrees with what has just been said. (E.g. “Are we on the same page?”)
The expression 'on the same page' can also appear when it is used as a statement to point out that people have reached agreement. (E.g. “We are on the same page now.”)
The saying 'on the same page' can also be expressed as an opposite, which means that people are not in agreement with one another on something and thus “not on the same page” about a topic or issue.
Example Usage
“It turns out that my ex-husband really liked the Amazon delivery guy more than he liked most other things that visited our neighborhood. We just weren't on the same page about where our marriage was going to be headed.”
“I didn't leave her because she cheated, I packed up the house and left because we weren't on the same page about what should be done with pineapple on a pizza.”
“My parents got divorced because they were on the same page one day, and not on the same page the next day. They would fight over everything”
“Okay, before we continue to read anything else about the French Revolution from this book, let's just make sure that we're all on the same page.”
Origin
The expression 'on the same page' or 'not on the same page' is thought to have originated from choral singing, where the participants all have to read from the same page in order to keep up with the rest of the choir in time.
Early mentions of the expression 'on the same page' appears in English texts as early as the 1930s, after which the expression is likely to have entered more popular use as a saying. Newspapers and books of the time could be credited with the rise of the use of this expression in time.
The phrase is cited in the Oxford English Dictionary from the year 1965 onward, and appears in the internet resource Urban Dictionary from the early 2000s beginnings of the website.
Phrases Similar to On the Same Page
- See(ing) eye to eye
Phrases Opposite to On the Same Page
- Not on the same page
What is the Correct Saying?
- On the same page
- (Not) on the same page
Ways People May Say On the Same Page Incorrectly
The expression 'on the same page' is one that can be misunderstood anywhere someone does not understand the meaning (or the context) of the expression.
The meaning is almost never literal (though it can be) and refers to whether or not people are in agreement about something. The term can also be used to ask if someone agrees, phrased as a question.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase On the Same Page
The correct ways to phrase 'on the same page' is as a statement, or as a question.
People can either 'be on the same page' and agree, or 'not be on the same page' and disagree about something.
As a question, someone can be asked: “Are you on the same page?”