A vocabulary story
The Witcher franchise, known for its books, video games, and Netflix series, has gained immense popularity worldwide. But have you ever wondered how it all began?
The original literary series, written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, is called Wiedźmin in Poland. However, it was the CD Projekt video games and later the Netflix series that popularized the term “The Witcher” internationally.
In a livestream interview on the Fantastic Talk(s) YouTube channel, Sapkowski shared an interesting fact about the genesis of The Witcher. In Polish, like German, the language recognizes three genders: masculine, feminine, and neutral. Unlike other languages such as French, the Polish word for “witch” is exclusively feminine, with no masculine equivalent. This frustrated Sapkowski, leading him to create a new word, Wiedźmin, meaning a “male witch.”
The birth of a hit
From this simple linguistic curiosity, Sapkowski built the vast universe of The Witcher franchise. Interestingly, he admits that he initially had no detailed map or plan for the world of the saga, known as the “Continent.” Instead, he relied on a Czech translator who created a basic concept that Sapkowski then used to write subsequent volumes.
With the immense success of The Witcher brand today, it’s always fascinating to revisit these humble origins and appreciate the anecdotal nature of its creation.
Remember, there are exciting projects in the works, including a highly anticipated remake of the first game and new seasons of the Netflix series featuring Liam Hermworth as Geralt de Riv.
