metaphrast
Definition
Noun: - A person who translates or transforms a text from one form or style into another, such as from prose to verse or from one literary genre to another. This term specifically refers to a translator who alters the form of the original work rather than providing a literal word-for-word translation.
Usage Examples
- (A translator who converted prose histories into verse form.)
- (A person who transformed a non-dramatic text into a theatrical piece.)
Advanced Usage
- "metaphrast of scripture": A translator who paraphrases or rewrites religious texts into a different literary style.
- The monk served as a metaphrast of scripture, rendering Latin psalms into vernacular hymns. (He transformed sacred texts into a more accessible poetic form.)
Variants and Related Words
- Metaphrase (n): a literal or word-for-word translation.
- The metaphrase of the original Greek text was accurate but lacked poetic beauty. (A direct, literal translation.)
- Metaphrastic (adj): relating to or characteristic of a metaphrast or metaphrasing.
- Her metaphrastic style involved expanding concise prose into elaborate verse. (Pertaining to the process of rewriting in a different form.)
Synonyms
- Translator: one who renders text from one language to another.
- Paraphraser: one who restates text in different words.
- Adaptor: one who modifies a work for a new purpose or medium.
Related Idioms
- To put into other words: to paraphrase or translate freely.
- The author asked the metaphrast to put his novel into other words for a younger audience. (To rephrase or adapt the text.)
Notes on Usage
- This word is rare in modern English and is primarily used in historical or literary contexts, particularly in discussions of medieval or classical translation practices. It is not commonly used in everyday speech.