stridig

Stridig is an adjective used in Danish and Norwegian to describe a person or attitude that resists change, opposes concessions, or acts in a contrarian or defiant manner. It implies stubbornness or obstinacy, often with a negative nuance, though it can be used in neutral or descriptive contexts when referring to positions or stances that are difficult to negotiate.

The word derives from the noun strid, meaning fight or dispute, with the adjectival suffix -ig. The sense evolved from “prone to strife” to describe individuals or positions that are resistant to compromise. It is found in contemporary Danish and Norwegian usage, spanning both everyday speech and more formal writing.

In usage, stridig modifies nouns to denote stubborn or obstinate characteristics. Examples include en stridig holdning (a stubborn attitude) or et stridigt krav (a contentious or obstinate demand). In discourse, it is often employed to characterize persons who refuse to yield or to describe policies, arguments, or positions that are hard to reconcile with opposing views. The term generally carries a negative evaluation, signaling impracticality or rigidity, though it can be used descriptively in analyses of negotiation dynamics or political debates.

Related terms include obstinacy and intransigence in English, and in Danish-Norwegian contexts, strid and stridig share a common semantic field related to conflict and opposition.