A metaphrast is a person who translates or rewrites a text. Alternative synonyms for the word include translator, interpretor, and transcriber. A translator is a person who converts text from one language to another. An interpretor is someone who translates spoken language from one language to another. Transcriber refers to a person who converts written or spoken words into written or printed form. Other synonyms for metaphrast include paraphraser, scribe, and encoder. A paraphraser writes in a different way from the original text but still maintains its meaning. A scribe is someone who writes or produces documents by hand. An encoder is a person who converts information from one form to another, such as encoding text into a computer program.