<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Look up metaphrase in Wiktionary, the free dictionary . </Td> </Tr> <P> Metaphrase is a term referring to literal translation, i.e., "word by word and line by line" translation . In everyday usage, metaphrase means literalism; however, metaphrase is also the translation of poetry into prose . Unlike "paraphrase," which has an ordinary use in literature theory, the term "metaphrase" is only used in translation theory . </P> <P> Metaphrase is one of the three ways of transferring, along with paraphrase and imitation, according to John Dryden . Dryden considers paraphrase preferable to metaphrase (as literal translation) and imitation . </P> <P> The term "metaphrase" is first used by Philo Judaeus (20 BCE) in De vita Mosis . Quintilian draws a distinction between metaphrase and paraphrase in the pedagogical practice of imitation and reworking classical texts; he points out that metaphrase changes a word, and paraphrase, a phrase: a distinction that is also followed by Renaissance scholars . </P>

Who suggested imitation as a method in translation