The brain-bending "widersetzen"

Question

This word "widersetzen" is really confusing me. Let me give you some examples, motivated by similar sentences I have found on the internet:

1. Er widersetzt sich dem Befehl.

2. Sie widersetzt sich seinem Kuss.

3. Das Volk widersetzt sich den Invasoren.

4. Die Idee widersetzt sich der Logik.

Now, examples 1. and 4. would suggest that "sich widersetzen" is "defy", but then it seems that "trotzen" works here as well. Examples 2 and 3 suggeset that the meaning is more along the lines of oppose/resist, but then there are things like "sich stellen gegen", and one would not really say "it opposes logic".

Can anybody maybe put me on the right track as far as a reasonable translation is concerned? I understand, you should not translate words, rather meanings, but I can't seem to get a handle on the meaning here.

Answer 1

You seem to understand the meaning of the sentences quite well. The most suitable person to give you good, adequate translations of theses sentences in English is probably you yourself.

My impression is that you simply have to give up the idea that for one word in Language A (in all its variuos use-cases) there will be one specific word in Language B. There isn't. (Otherwise computer linguists weren't a thing.)

To help you, I try to express the meaning of these sentences in simple (basic) English. I think this should help you find good translations in more elaborate registers of speech. The German examples you quote are of rather high register: written language, theatre, radio (as opposed to street and youth language, informal chat etc.)

Er widersetzt sich dem Befehl.

He does not do what the superior person told him to do. This may be open resistance, or resistance in some hidden way.

Sie widersetzt sich seinem Kuss.

She behaves in a way making clear that she does not like to be kissed; or at least she pretends to be not liking it. Still the action is too weak to stop the kissing.

Das Volk widersetzt sich den Invasoren.

Members of the public do verious visible or invisible things to stop the invadors, or to make their life difficult.

Die Idee widersetzt sich der Logik.

The idea is not logical. It is contrary to logic. A thinking person cannot accept this idea. Note: etwas widersetzt sich der Logik is a very high register of speech, almost manieristic. Acceptable, but... well, a bit overdone.

Now it is your turn to find appropriate English phrases.

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Later addition regarding "This ideas defies logic":

More normal ways to express this in standard German would be

Die Idee ist unlogisch

Der Idee fehlt es an Logik

Or if you want to use casual language (possible with good friends, or when offending your counterpart is no problem for you):

Die Idee ist Quatsch.

Or if you speak to superiors:

Ich verstehe die Idee nicht ganz.

Die Idee erschließt sich mir nicht.

Answer 2

I think "widersetzen" is quite well translated with "to be resistant towards", though that sounds odd in english in some places. Also, as Christian said, wiedersetzen is more open as to whether the action being resisted is successful. However, "to resist" works quite well IMO:

He resists the order.
She resists his kiss.
The people acted resistant towards the invaders.
The idea is resistant to logic.

Especially with the last one: "Die Idee widersetzt sich der Logik" means to me: the idea is sane enough, that initially/intuitively you judge it as plausible. But on closer inspection you just can't seem to make it fit with your facts. "Die Idee widerspricht jeder Logik" is much stronger: right from the moment you first hear of the idea you deem it fundamentally wrong.