Aaden: To be honest, we got a bit of a problem there. What was done in the German translation is exactly the same as in the English one and what Sapkowski did in the original. Taking the word 'Wiedzma', 'Witch', 'Hexe' and transforming it into a male form.
The only problem with that is, that 'Wiedzmin' and 'Witcher' do not exist, but 'Hexer' is quite a common abbreviation for 'Hexenmeister' or (quite rarely, imo) a term for a male person, making use of witchcraft.
Yes, I guess it's that they created a new word, while in the translation(s), they use a long-known word.
I just don't think that a witcher is like a witch in any way. Sure, he uses a bit of magic, but using signs is quite different from witchcraft. Which is unconceivably complicated for a male mind, anyway (don't shoot me, I'm just quoting Abigail). ;)
A witcher is mainly a swordsman. The signs don't make him a magician, forming a sign is not like doing a witch ritual, the effects are more immedeate, too. And Leo couldn't even do signs because he broke his hand. So, doing a sign is more like a "button", with which they tap into the energy they draw from the earth/places of power.
This goes a little bit too off topic now, sorry.
But I still don't like Hexer, because its misleading.