Backslash cleanup in Elisp source files

This patch should not change behavior.  It typically omits backslashes
where they are redundant (e.g., in the string literal "^\$").
In a few places, insert backslashes where they make regular
expressions clearer: e.g., replace "^\*" (equivalent to "^*") with
"^\\*", which has the same effect as a regular expression.
Also, use ‘\ %’ instead of ‘\%’ when avoiding confusion with SCCS IDs,
and similarly use ‘\ $’ instead of ‘\$’ when avoiding confusion with
RCS IDs, as that makes it clearer that the backslash is intended.

38 files changed, 242 insertions, 242 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/ada-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/ada-mode.el
index 452f3b99742..529b691ee79 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/ada-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/ada-mode.el
@@ -2682,7 +2682,7 @@ if INITIAL-POS is non-nil, moves point to INITIAL-POS before calculation."
 	 ;; "then" has to be included in the case of "select...then abort"
 	 ;; statements, since (goto-stmt-start) at the beginning of
 	 ;; the current function would leave the cursor on that position
-	 ((looking-at "\\(\\(els\\)?if\\>\\)\\|then abort\\\>")
+	 ((looking-at "\\(\\(els\\)?if\\>\\)\\|then abort\\>")
 	  (ada-get-indent-if orgpoint))
 	 ;;
 	 ((looking-at "case\\>")
@@ -5290,7 +5290,7 @@ for `ada-procedure-start-regexp'."
 	    (setq functype (buffer-substring (point)
 					     (progn
 					       (skip-chars-forward
-						"a-zA-Z0-9_\.")
+						"a-zA-Z0-9_.")
 					       (point))))))
       ;; look for next non WS
       (cond
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/ada-xref.el b/lisp/progmodes/ada-xref.el
index 816de12cbdb..0ea33c16878 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/ada-xref.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/ada-xref.el
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ As a special case, ${current} is replaced with the name of the current
 file, minus extension but with directory, and ${full_current} is
 replaced by the name including the extension."
 
-  (while (string-match "\\(-[^-\$IO]*[IO]\\)?\${\\([^}]+\\)}" cmd-string)
+  (while (string-match "\\(-[^-$IO]*[IO]\\)?${\\([^}]+\\)}" cmd-string)
     (let (value
 	  (name (match-string 2 cmd-string)))
       (cond
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ Information is extracted from the ali file."
 		(concat "^"    (ada-line-of identlist)
 			"."    (ada-column-of identlist)
 			"[ *]" (ada-name-of identlist)
-			"[{\[\(<= ]?\\(.*\\)$") bound t))
+			"[{[(<= ]?\\(.*\\)$") bound t))
 	  (if declaration-found
 	      (ada-set-on-declaration identlist t))
 	  ))
@@ -1756,7 +1756,7 @@ Information is extracted from the ali file."
 		   (concat
 		    "^[0-9]+.[0-9]+[ *]"
 		    (ada-name-of identlist)
-		    "[ <{=\(\[]\\(.\\|\n\\.\\)*\\<"
+		    "[ <{=([]\\(.\\|\n\\.\\)*\\<"
 		    (ada-line-of identlist)
 		    "[^0-9]"
 		    (ada-column-of identlist) "\\>")
@@ -1779,7 +1779,7 @@ Information is extracted from the ali file."
 	      (forward-line -1)
 	      (beginning-of-line))
 	    (unless (looking-at (concat "[0-9]+.[0-9]+[ *]"
-					(ada-name-of identlist) "[ <{=\(\[]"))
+					(ada-name-of identlist) "[ <{=([]"))
 	      (setq declaration-found nil))))
 
       ;; Still no success ! The ali file must be too old, and we need to
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/antlr-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/antlr-mode.el
index 2d9bd487bb9..9cac400c27b 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/antlr-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/antlr-mode.el
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ variable list\" near the end of the file, see
     (c++-mode "C++" "\"Cpp\"" "Cpp"))
   "List of ANTLR's supported languages.
 Each element in this list looks like
-  \(MAJOR-MODE MODELINE-STRING OPTION-VALUE...)
+  (MAJOR-MODE MODELINE-STRING OPTION-VALUE...)
 
 MAJOR-MODE, the major mode of the code in the grammar's actions, is the
 value of `antlr-language' if the first group in the string matched by
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ also displayed in the mode line next to \"Antlr\"."
 (defcustom antlr-language-limit-n-regexp
   '(8192 . "language[ \t]*=[ \t]*\\(\"?[A-Z][A-Za-z_]*\"?\\)")
   "Used to set a reasonable value for `antlr-language'.
-Looks like \(LIMIT \. REGEXP).  Search for REGEXP from the beginning of
+Looks like \(LIMIT . REGEXP).  Search for REGEXP from the beginning of
 the buffer to LIMIT and use the first group in the matched string to set
 the language according to `antlr-language-alist'."
   :group 'antlr
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ COUNT starts with 1.  GEN-SEP is used to separate long variable values."
     (c++-mode ("%sTokenTypes.hpp") ("%s.cpp" "%s.hpp")))
   "Language dependent formats which specify generated files.
 Each element in this list looks looks like
-  \(MAJOR-MODE (VOCAB-FILE-FORMAT...) (CLASS-FILE-FORMAT...)).
+  (MAJOR-MODE (VOCAB-FILE-FORMAT...) (CLASS-FILE-FORMAT...)).
 
 The element whose MAJOR-MODE is equal to `antlr-language' is used to
 specify the generated files which are language dependent.  See variable
@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ fontification, see `antlr-font-lock-keywords-alist'.
 
 While calculating the decoration level for actions, `major-mode' is
 bound to `antlr-language'.  For example, with value
-  \((java-mode \. 2) (c++-mode \. 0))
+  ((java-mode . 2) (c++-mode . 0))
 Java actions are fontified with level 2 and C++ actions are not
 fontified at all."
   :group 'antlr
@@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ Do not change the value of this constant.")
      c++-font-lock-keywords-3))
   "List of font-lock keywords for actions in the grammar.
 Each element in this list looks like
-  \(MAJOR-MODE KEYWORD...)
+  (MAJOR-MODE KEYWORD...)
 
 If `antlr-language' is equal to MAJOR-MODE, the KEYWORDs are the
 font-lock keywords according to `font-lock-defaults' used for the code
@@ -1570,8 +1570,8 @@ Inserting an option with this command works as follows:
  4. Ask user for confirmation if the given OPTION does not seem to be a
     valid option to insert into the current file.
  5. Find a correct position to insert the option.
- 6. Depending on the option, insert it the following way \(inserting an
-    option also means inserting the option section if necessary\):
+ 6. Depending on the option, insert it the following way (inserting an
+    option also means inserting the option section if necessary):
      - Insert the option and let user insert the value at point.
      - Read a value (with completion) from the minibuffer, using a
        previous value as initial contents, and insert option with value.
@@ -1687,9 +1687,9 @@ Return \(LEVEL OPTION LOCATION)."
 (defun antlr-option-kind (requested)
   "Return level and location for option to insert near point.
 Call function `antlr-option-level' with argument REQUESTED.  If the
-result is nil, return \(REQUESTED \. error).  If the result has the
-non-nil value LEVEL, return \(LEVEL \. LOCATION) where LOCATION looks
-like \(AREA \. PLACE), see `antlr-option-location'."
+result is nil, return \(REQUESTED . error).  If the result has the
+non-nil value LEVEL, return \(LEVEL . LOCATION) where LOCATION looks
+like \(AREA . PLACE), see `antlr-option-location'."
   (save-excursion
     (save-restriction
       (let ((min0 (point-min))		; before `widen'!
@@ -1845,7 +1845,7 @@ WARNING: this may alter `match-data'."
 (defun antlr-insert-option-do (level option old area pos)
   "Insert option into buffer at position POS.
 Insert option of level LEVEL and name OPTION.  If OLD is non-nil, an
-options area is already exists.  If OLD looks like \(BEG \. END), the
+options area is already exists.  If OLD looks like \(BEG . END), the
 option already exists.  Then, BEG is the start position of the option
 value, the position of the `=' or nil, and END is the end position of
 the option value or nil.
@@ -2104,7 +2104,7 @@ Called in PHASE `before-input', see `antlr-options-alists'."
 
 (defun antlr-file-dependencies ()
   "Return dependencies for grammar in current buffer.
-The result looks like \(FILE \(CLASSES \. SUPERS) VOCABS \. LANGUAGE)
+The result looks like \(FILE \(CLASSES . SUPERS) VOCABS . LANGUAGE)
   where CLASSES = ((CLASS . CLASS-EVOCAB) ...),
         SUPERS  = ((SUPER . USE-EVOCAB-P) ...), and
         VOCABS  = ((EVOCAB ...) . (IVOCAB ...))
@@ -2168,8 +2168,8 @@ its export vocabulary is used as an import vocabulary."
 
 (defun antlr-directory-dependencies (dirname)
   "Return dependencies for all grammar files in directory DIRNAME.
-The result looks like \((CLASS-SPEC ...) \. \(FILE-DEP ...))
-  where CLASS-SPEC = (CLASS (FILE \. EVOCAB) ...).
+The result looks like \((CLASS-SPEC ...) . \(FILE-DEP ...))
+  where CLASS-SPEC = (CLASS (FILE . EVOCAB) ...).
 
 FILE-DEP are the dependencies for each grammar file in DIRNAME, see
 `antlr-file-dependencies'.  For each grammar class CLASS, FILE is a
@@ -2220,7 +2220,7 @@ The result looks like \(OPTION WITH-UNKNOWN GLIB ...).  OPTION is the
 complete \"-glib\" option.  WITH-UNKNOWN is t if there is none or more
 than one grammar file for at least one super grammar.
 
-Each GLIB looks like \(GRAMMAR-FILE \. EVOCAB).  GRAMMAR-FILE is a file
+Each GLIB looks like \(GRAMMAR-FILE . EVOCAB).  GRAMMAR-FILE is a file
 in which a super-grammar is defined.  EVOCAB is the value of the export
 vocabulary of the super-grammar or nil if it is not needed."
   ;; If the superclass is defined in the same file, that file will be included
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-align.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-align.el
index b0c4a6425bf..1e3cb8e16f9 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-align.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-align.el
@@ -1075,7 +1075,7 @@ Works with: brace-list-entry, brace-entry-open, statement,
 arglist-cont."
   (save-excursion
     (goto-char (c-langelem-pos langelem))
-    (when (looking-at "\\s\(")
+    (when (looking-at "\\s(")
       (if (c-go-up-list-backward)
 	  (let ((pos (point)))
 	    (back-to-indentation)
@@ -1093,24 +1093,24 @@ v beg of preceding constr      v beg of preceding constr
 const char msg[] =             if (!running)
   \"Some text.\";	         error(\"Not running!\");
 
-#define X(A, B)  \           #define X(A, B)    \
-do {             \    <->      do {             \    <- c-lineup-cpp-define
-  printf (A, B); \               printf (A, B); \
+#define X(A, B)  \\           #define X(A, B)    \\
+do {             \\    <->      do {             \\    <- c-lineup-cpp-define
+  printf (A, B); \\               printf (A, B); \\
 } while (0)                    } while (0)
 
 If `c-syntactic-indentation-in-macros' is non-nil, the function
 returns the relative indentation to the macro start line to allow
 accumulation with other offsets.  E.g. in the following cases,
 cpp-define-intro is combined with the statement-block-intro that comes
-from the \"do {\" that hangs on the \"#define\" line:
+from the `do {' that hangs on the `#define' line:
 
                              int dribble() {
 const char msg[] =             if (!running)
   \"Some text.\";	         error(\"Not running!\");
 
-#define X(A, B) do { \       #define X(A, B) do { \
-  printf (A, B);     \  <->      printf (A, B);   \  <- c-lineup-cpp-define
-  this->refs++;      \           this->refs++;    \
+#define X(A, B) do { \\       #define X(A, B) do { \\
+  printf (A, B);     \\  <->      printf (A, B);   \\  <- c-lineup-cpp-define
+  this->refs++;      \\           this->refs++;    \\
 } while (0)             <->    } while (0)           <- c-lineup-cpp-define
 
 The relative indentation returned by `c-lineup-cpp-define' is zero and
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-awk.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-awk.el
index 337fdc800b1..077a18cc597 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-awk.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-awk.el
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@
 (defconst c-awk-neutrals*-re
   (concat "\\(" c-awk-neutral-re "\\)*"))
 ;;   A (possibly empty) string of neutral characters (or character pairs).
-(defconst c-awk-var-num-ket-re "[]\)0-9a-zA-Z_$.\x80-\xff]+")
+(defconst c-awk-var-num-ket-re "[])0-9a-zA-Z_$.\x80-\xff]+")
 ;;   Matches a char which is a constituent of a variable or number, or a ket
 ;; (i.e. closing bracKET), round or square.  Assume that all characters \x80 to
 ;; \xff are "letters".
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
 ;; will only work when there won't be a preceding " or / before the sought /
 ;; to foul things up.
 (defconst c-awk-non-arith-op-bra-re
-  "[[\({&=:!><,?;'~|]")
+  "[[({&=:!><,?;'~|]")
 ;;   Matches an opening BRAcket (of any sort), or any operator character
 ;; apart from +,-,/,*,%.  For the purpose at hand (detecting a / which is a
 ;; regexp bracket) these arith ops are unnecessary and a pain, because of "++"
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@
 ;; Matches optional whitespace followed by a "/" with string syntax (a matched
 ;; regexp delimiter).
 (defconst c-awk-space*-unclosed-regexp-/-re
-  (concat c-awk-escaped-nls*-with-space* "\\s\|"))
+  (concat c-awk-escaped-nls*-with-space* "\\s|"))
 ;; Matches optional whitespace followed by a "/" with string fence syntax (an
 ;; unmatched regexp delimiter).
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-cmds.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-cmds.el
index 0e249bd4212..32ce8c6a249 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-cmds.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-cmds.el
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ the function `delete-forward-p' is defined and returns non-nil, it
 deletes forward.  Otherwise it deletes backward.
 
 Note: This is the way in XEmacs to choose the correct action for the
-\[delete] key, whichever key that means.  Other flavors don't use this
+[delete] key, whichever key that means.  Other flavors don't use this
 function to control that."
   (interactive "*P")
   (if (and (fboundp 'delete-forward-p)
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ forward using `c-hungry-delete-forward'.  Otherwise it deletes
 backward using `c-hungry-backspace'.
 
 Note: This is the way in XEmacs to choose the correct action for the
-\[delete] key, whichever key that means.  Other flavors don't use this
+[delete] key, whichever key that means.  Other flavors don't use this
 function to control that."
   (interactive)
   (if (and (fboundp 'delete-forward-p)
@@ -1143,9 +1143,9 @@ numeric argument is supplied, or the point is inside a literal."
 			   (eq (char-before) ?<))
 			 (progn
 			   (backward-char)
-			   (looking-at "\\s\("))))
+			   (looking-at "\\s("))))
 		    (and (eq (char-after) ?<)
-			 (not (looking-at "\\s\("))
+			 (not (looking-at "\\s("))
 			 (progn (c-backward-syntactic-ws)
 				(c-simple-skip-symbol-backward))
 			 (or (looking-at c-opt-<>-sexp-key)
@@ -1380,13 +1380,13 @@ No indentation or other \"electric\" behavior is performed."
 		;; be the return type of a function, or the like.  Exclude
 		;; this case.
 		(c-syntactic-re-search-forward
-		 (concat "[;=\(\[{]\\|\\("
+		 (concat "[;=([{]\\|\\("
 			 c-opt-block-decls-with-vars-key
 			 "\\)")
 		 eo-block t t t)
 		(match-beginning 1)	; Is there a "struct" etc., somewhere?
 		(not (eq (char-before) ?_))
-		(c-syntactic-re-search-forward "[;=\(\[{]" eo-block t t t)
+		(c-syntactic-re-search-forward "[;=([{]" eo-block t t t)
 		(eq (char-before) ?\{)
 		bod)))))
 
@@ -4455,7 +4455,7 @@ is in situations like the following:
 
 char description[] = \"\\
 A very long description of something that you want to fill to make
-nicely formatted output.\"\;
+nicely formatted output.\";
 
 If point is in any other situation, i.e. in normal code, do nothing.
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-defs.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-defs.el
index 0422ca0b028..6bd58159fce 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-defs.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-defs.el
@@ -500,10 +500,10 @@ even if the user undoes the command which set them.
 
 This macro should ALWAYS be placed around \"temporary\" internal buffer
 changes \(like adding a newline to calculate a text-property then
-deleting it again\), so that the user never sees them on his
+deleting it again), so that the user never sees them on his
 `buffer-undo-list'.  See also `c-tentative-buffer-changes'.
 
-However, any user-visible changes to the buffer \(like auto-newlines\)
+However, any user-visible changes to the buffer \(like auto-newlines)
 must not be within a `c-save-buffer-state', since the user then
 wouldn't be able to undo them.
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-engine.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-engine.el
index 82f0d722d03..6382b145211 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-engine.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-engine.el
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 			  (save-excursion
 			    (c-forward-sexp) (point)))
 			 ;; Just gone back over some paren block?
-			 ((looking-at "\\s\(")
+			 ((looking-at "\\s(")
 			  (save-excursion
 			    (goto-char (1+ (c-down-list-backward
 					    before-sws-pos)))
@@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ The variable `c-maybe-labelp' is set to the position of the first `:' that
 might start a label (i.e. not part of `::' and not preceded by `?').  If a
 single `?' is found, then `c-maybe-labelp' is cleared.
 
-For AWK, a statement which is terminated by an EOL (not a \; or a }) is
+For AWK, a statement which is terminated by an EOL (not a ; or a }) is
 regarded as having a \"virtual semicolon\" immediately after the last token on
 the line.  If this virtual semicolon is _at_ from, the function recognizes it.
 
@@ -3792,8 +3792,8 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 
 (defconst c-jump-syntax-balanced
   (if (memq 'gen-string-delim c-emacs-features)
-      "\\w\\|\\s_\\|\\s\(\\|\\s\)\\|\\s\"\\|\\s|"
-    "\\w\\|\\s_\\|\\s\(\\|\\s\)\\|\\s\""))
+      "\\w\\|\\s_\\|\\s(\\|\\s)\\|\\s\"\\|\\s|"
+    "\\w\\|\\s_\\|\\s(\\|\\s)\\|\\s\""))
 
 (defconst c-jump-syntax-unbalanced
   (if (memq 'gen-string-delim c-emacs-features)
@@ -3960,7 +3960,7 @@ See `c-forward-token-2' for details."
 tokens like \"==\" as single tokens, i.e. all sequences of symbol
 characters are jumped over character by character.  This function is
 for compatibility only; it's only a wrapper over `c-forward-token-2'."
-  (let ((c-nonsymbol-token-regexp "\\s.\\|\\s\(\\|\\s\)"))
+  (let ((c-nonsymbol-token-regexp "\\s."))
     (c-forward-token-2 count balanced limit)))
 
 (defun c-backward-token-1 (&optional count balanced limit)
@@ -3968,7 +3968,7 @@ for compatibility only; it's only a wrapper over `c-forward-token-2'."
 tokens like \"==\" as single tokens, i.e. all sequences of symbol
 characters are jumped over character by character.  This function is
 for compatibility only; it's only a wrapper over `c-backward-token-2'."
-  (let ((c-nonsymbol-token-regexp "\\s.\\|\\s\(\\|\\s\)"))
+  (let ((c-nonsymbol-token-regexp "\\s."))
     (c-backward-token-2 count balanced limit)))
 
 
@@ -7124,7 +7124,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 		       (setq paren-depth (1- paren-depth))
 		       (forward-char)
 		       t)
-		   (when (if (save-match-data (looking-at "\\s\("))
+		   (when (if (save-match-data (looking-at "\\s("))
 			     (c-safe (c-forward-sexp 1) t)
 			   (goto-char (match-end 1))
 			   t)
@@ -7198,7 +7198,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 
 	 (setq at-decl-end
 	       (looking-at (cond ((eq context '<>) "[,>]")
-				 (context "[,\)]")
+				 (context "[,)]")
 				 (t "[,;]"))))
 
 	 ;; Now we've collected info about various characteristics of
@@ -7522,7 +7522,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 	 ;; The closing paren should follow.
 	 (progn
 	   (c-forward-syntactic-ws)
-	   (looking-at "\\s\)"))
+	   (looking-at "\\s)"))
 
 	 ;; There should be a primary expression after it.
 	 (let (pos)
@@ -7919,7 +7919,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 
 	  (catch 'break
 	    ;; Look for ": superclass-name" or "( category-name )".
-	    (when (looking-at "[:\(]")
+	    (when (looking-at "[:(]")
 	      (setq start-char (char-after))
 	      (forward-char)
 	      (c-forward-syntactic-ws)
@@ -8434,7 +8434,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 			    ;; Check for `c-opt-block-decls-with-vars-key'
 			    ;; before the first paren.
 			    (c-syntactic-re-search-forward
-			     (concat "[;=\(\[{]\\|\\("
+			     (concat "[;=([{]\\|\\("
 				     c-opt-block-decls-with-vars-key
 				     "\\)")
 			     lim t t t)
@@ -8442,7 +8442,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 			    (not (eq (char-before) ?_))
 			    ;; Check that the first following paren is
 			    ;; the block.
-			    (c-syntactic-re-search-forward "[;=\(\[{]"
+			    (c-syntactic-re-search-forward "[;=([{]"
 							   lim t t t)
 			    (eq (char-before) ?{)))))))
 	    ;; The declaration doesn't have any of the
@@ -8961,7 +8961,7 @@ comment at the start of cc-engine.el for more info."
 			 (> (point) closest-lim))
 		  (not (bobp))
 		  (progn (backward-char)
-			 (looking-at "[\]\).]\\|\\w\\|\\s_"))
+			 (looking-at "[]).]\\|\\w\\|\\s_"))
 		  (c-safe (forward-char)
 			  (goto-char (scan-sexps (point) -1))))
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-fonts.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-fonts.el
index f05d6a06595..ad112d720d8 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-fonts.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-fonts.el
@@ -575,10 +575,10 @@ stuff.  Used on level 1 and higher."
 			       c-symbol-key) "\\)"
 			(concat "\\("	; 2 + ncle + nsws + c-sym-key
 				;; Macro with arguments - a "function".
-				"\\(\(\\)" ; 3 + ncle + nsws + c-sym-key
+				"\\((\\)" ; 3 + ncle + nsws + c-sym-key
 				"\\|"
 				;; Macro without arguments - a "variable".
-				"\\([^\(]\\|$\\)"
+				"\\([^(]\\|$\\)"
 				"\\)"))
 		       `((if (match-beginning
 			      ,(+ 3 ncle-depth nsws-depth
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ casts and declarations are fontified.  Used on level 2 and higher."
 
 	    ;; Search syntactically to the end of the declarator (";",
 	    ;; ",", a closing paren, eob etc) or to the beginning of an
-	    ;; initializer or function prototype ("=" or "\\s\(").
+	    ;; initializer or function prototype ("=" or "\\s(").
 	    ;; Note that square brackets are now not also treated as
 	    ;; initializers, since this broke when there were also
 	    ;; initializing brace lists.
@@ -1867,7 +1867,7 @@ higher."
 		"\\)\\>"
 		;; Disallow various common punctuation chars that can't come
 		;; before the '{' of the enum list, to avoid searching too far.
-		"[^\]\[{}();/#=]*"
+		"[^][{}();/#=]*"
 		"{")
 	       '((c-font-lock-declarators limit t nil)
 		 (save-match-data
@@ -2112,7 +2112,7 @@ need for `c-font-lock-extra-types'.")
 		  (unless (looking-at
 			   (cc-eval-when-compile
 			     (concat (c-lang-const c-symbol-start c++)
-				     "\\|[*:\)\[]")))
+				     "\\|[*:)[]")))
 		    ;; There's something after the would-be type that
 		    ;; can't be there, so this is a placement arglist.
 		    (setq expr1-res nil)))
@@ -2122,7 +2122,7 @@ need for `c-font-lock-extra-types'.")
 		  (unless (looking-at
 			   (cc-eval-when-compile
 			     (concat (c-lang-const c-symbol-start c++)
-				     "\\|[*:\)\[]")))
+				     "\\|[*:)[]")))
 		    ;; There's something after the would-be type that can't
 		    ;; be there, so this is an initialization expression.
 		    (setq expr2-res nil))
@@ -2675,7 +2675,7 @@ need for `pike-font-lock-extra-types'.")
   nil)
 
 (defconst autodoc-font-lock-doc-comments
-  `(("@\\(\\w+{\\|\\[\\([^\]@\n\r]\\|@@\\)*\\]\\|[@}]\\|$\\)"
+  `(("@\\(\\w+{\\|\\[\\([^]@\n\r]\\|@@\\)*\\]\\|[@}]\\|$\\)"
      ;; In-text markup.
      0 ,c-doc-markup-face-name prepend nil)
     (autodoc-font-lock-line-markup)
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el
index dcd51164ce8..7cda5ceaf1d 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-langs.el
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ definition, or nil if the language doesn't have any."
   t (if (c-lang-const c-opt-cpp-macro-define)
 	(concat (c-lang-const c-opt-cpp-prefix)
 		(c-lang-const c-opt-cpp-macro-define)
-		"[ \t]+\\(\\(\\sw\\|_\\)+\\)\\(\([^\)]*\)\\)?"
+		"[ \t]+\\(\\(\\sw\\|_\\)+\\)\\(([^)]*)\\)?"
 		;;       ^                 ^ #defined name
 		"\\([ \t]\\|\\\\\n\\)*")))
 (c-lang-defvar c-opt-cpp-macro-define-start
@@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ operators."
   t (c-make-keywords-re nil
       (c-filter-ops (c-lang-const c-all-op-syntax-tokens)
 		    t
-		    "\\`\\(\\s.\\|\\s\(\\|\\s\)\\)+\\'")))
+		    "\\`\\(\\s.\\)+\\'")))
 (c-lang-defvar c-nonsymbol-token-regexp
   (c-lang-const c-nonsymbol-token-regexp))
 
@@ -1694,7 +1694,7 @@ be a subset of `c-primitive-type-kwds'."
 	    "strong"))
 
 (c-lang-defconst c-typedef-kwds
-  "Prefix keyword\(s\) like \"typedef\" which make a type declaration out
+  "Prefix keyword(s) like \"typedef\" which make a type declaration out
 of a variable declaration."
   t        '("typedef")
   (awk idl java) nil)
@@ -2202,7 +2202,7 @@ regexp if `c-colon-type-list-kwds' isn't nil."
 	;; before the ":" that starts the inherit list after "class"
 	;; or "struct" in C++.  (Also used as default for other
 	;; languages.)
-	"[^\]\[{}();,/#=:]*:"))
+	"[^][{}();,/#=:]*:"))
 (c-lang-defvar c-colon-type-list-re (c-lang-const c-colon-type-list-re))
 
 (c-lang-defconst c-paren-nontype-kwds
@@ -2366,7 +2366,7 @@ nevertheless contains a list separated with `;' and not `,'."
 (c-lang-defvar c-opt-asm-stmt-key (c-lang-const c-opt-asm-stmt-key))
 
 (c-lang-defconst c-case-kwds
-  "The keyword\(s) which introduce a \"case\" like construct.
+  "The keyword(s) which introduce a \"case\" like construct.
 This construct is \"<keyword> <expression> :\"."
   t '("case")
   awk nil)
@@ -2729,25 +2729,25 @@ more info."
   ;; more quickly.  We match ")" in C for K&R region declarations, and
   ;; in all languages except Java for when a cpp macro definition
   ;; begins with a declaration.
-  t "\\([\{\}\(\);,]+\\)"
-  java "\\([\{\}\(;,<]+\\)"
+  t "\\([{}();,]+\\)"
+  java "\\([{}(;,<]+\\)"
   ;; Match "<" in C++ to get the first argument in a template arglist.
   ;; In that case there's an additional check in `c-find-decl-spots'
   ;; that it got open paren syntax.  Match ":" to aid in picking up
   ;; "public:", etc.  This involves additional checks in
   ;; `c-find-decl-prefix-search' to prevent a match of identifiers
   ;; or labels.
-  c++ "\\([\{\}\(\);:,<]+\\)"
+  c++ "\\([{}();:,<]+\\)"
   ;; Additionally match the protection directives in Objective-C.
   ;; Note that this doesn't cope with the longer directives, which we
   ;; would have to match from start to end since they don't end with
   ;; any easily recognized characters.
-  objc (concat "\\([\{\}\(\);,]+\\|"
+  objc (concat "\\([{}();,]+\\|"
 	       (c-make-keywords-re nil (c-lang-const c-protection-kwds))
 	       "\\)")
   ;; Pike is like C but we also match "[" for multiple value
   ;; assignments and type casts.
-  pike "\\([\{\}\(\)\[;,]+\\)")
+  pike "\\([{}()[;,]+\\)")
 (c-lang-defvar c-decl-prefix-re (c-lang-const c-decl-prefix-re)
   'dont-doc)
 
@@ -2792,7 +2792,7 @@ constructs."
   ;; languages without casts.
   t (c-filter-ops (c-lang-const c-operators)
 		  '(prefix)
-		  "\\`\\s\(\\'"
+		  "\\`\\s(\\'"
 		  (lambda (op) (elt op 0))))
 (c-lang-defvar c-cast-parens (c-lang-const c-cast-parens))
 
@@ -2875,13 +2875,13 @@ Identifier syntax is in effect when this is matched \(see
   ;; Check that there's no "=" afterwards to avoid matching tokens
   ;; like "*=".
   (c objc) (concat "\\("
-		   "[*\(]"
+		   "[*(]"
 		   "\\|"
 		   (c-lang-const c-type-decl-prefix-key)
 		   "\\)"
 		   "\\([^=]\\|$\\)")
   c++  (concat "\\("
-	       "[*\(&]"
+	       "[*(&]"
 	       "\\|"
 	       (c-lang-const c-type-decl-prefix-key)
 	       "\\|"
@@ -2909,13 +2909,13 @@ is in effect when this is matched (see `c-identifier-syntax-table')."
   ;; Default to a regexp that matches `c-type-modifier-kwds' and a
   ;; function argument list parenthesis.
   t    (if (c-lang-const c-type-modifier-kwds)
-	   (concat "\\(\(\\|"
+	   (concat "\\((\\|"
 		   (regexp-opt (c-lang-const c-type-modifier-kwds) t) "\\>"
 		   "\\)")
-	 "\\(\(\\)")
+	 "\\((\\)")
   (c c++ objc) (concat
 		"\\("
-		"[\)\[\(]"
+		"[)[(]"
 		(if (c-lang-const c-type-modifier-kwds)
 		    (concat
 		     "\\|"
@@ -2926,8 +2926,8 @@ is in effect when this is matched (see `c-identifier-syntax-table')."
 		     "\\>")
 		  "")
 		"\\)")
-  java "\\([\[\(\)]\\)"
-  idl "\\([\[\(]\\)")
+  java "\\([[()]\\)"
+  idl "\\([[(]\\)")
 (c-lang-defvar c-type-decl-suffix-key (c-lang-const c-type-decl-suffix-key)
   'dont-doc)
 
@@ -3111,7 +3111,7 @@ i.e. compound statements surrounded by parentheses inside expressions."
   t (if (c-lang-const c-opt-<>-arglist-start)
 	(concat "\\("
 		(c-lang-const c-opt-<>-arglist-start)
-		"\\)\\|\\s\)")))
+		"\\)\\|\\s)")))
 (c-lang-defvar c-opt-<>-arglist-start-in-paren
   (c-lang-const c-opt-<>-arglist-start-in-paren))
 
@@ -3168,7 +3168,7 @@ i.e. before \":\".  Only used if `c-recognize-colon-labels' is set."
   ;; Also check for open parens in C++, to catch member init lists in
   ;; constructors.  We normally allow it so that macros with arguments
   ;; work in labels.
-  c++ (concat "\\s\(\\|\"\\|" (c-lang-const c-nonlabel-token-key)))
+  c++ (concat "\\s(\\|\"\\|" (c-lang-const c-nonlabel-token-key)))
 (c-lang-defvar c-nonlabel-token-key (c-lang-const c-nonlabel-token-key))
 
 (c-lang-defconst c-nonlabel-token-2-key
@@ -3216,7 +3216,7 @@ way."
 	"\\([+-]\\)"
 	(c-lang-const c-simple-ws) "*"
 	(concat "\\("			; Return type.
-		"([^\)]*)"
+		"([^)]*)"
 		(c-lang-const c-simple-ws) "*"
 		"\\)?")
 	"\\(" (c-lang-const c-symbol-key) "\\)"))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cc-vars.el b/lisp/progmodes/cc-vars.el
index da36647f2cd..9afece9e30b 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cc-vars.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cc-vars.el
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ nil."
 If t, hitting TAB always just indents the current line.  If nil, hitting
 TAB indents the current line if point is at the left margin or in the
 line's indentation, otherwise it inserts a `real' tab character \(see
-note\).  If some other value (not nil or t), then tab is inserted only
+note).  If some other value \(not nil or t), then tab is inserted only
 within literals \(comments and strings), but the line is always
 reindented.
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cfengine.el b/lisp/progmodes/cfengine.el
index 96bb8d3a112..78c8d94576b 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cfengine.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cfengine.el
@@ -1005,12 +1005,12 @@ Intended as the value of `indent-line-function'."
 				   (point))))
       (let ((paragraph-start
 	     ;; Include start of parenthesized block.
-	     "\f\\|[ \t]*$\\|.*\(")
+	     "\f\\|[ \t]*$\\|.*(")
 	    (paragraph-separate
 	     ;; Include action and class lines, start and end of
 	     ;; bracketed blocks and end of parenthesized blocks to
 	     ;; avoid including these in fill.  This isn't ideal.
-	     "[ \t\f]*$\\|.*#\\|.*[\){}]\\|\\s-*[[:alpha:]_().|!]+:")
+	     "[ \t\f]*$\\|.*#\\|.*[){}]\\|\\s-*[[:alpha:]_().|!]+:")
 	    fill-paragraph-function)
 	(fill-paragraph justify))
       t))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cmacexp.el b/lisp/progmodes/cmacexp.el
index 005e71a825e..0f5b1bb8c6a 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cmacexp.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cmacexp.el
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ Optional arg DISPLAY non-nil means show messages in the echo area."
 		;; the way of font-lock, highlighting etc.
 		(insert
 		 (format
-		  "/* Preprocessor terminated with status %s\n\n   Messages from '%s\':\n\n"
+		  "/* Preprocessor terminated with status %s\n\n   Messages from '%s':\n\n"
 		  exit-status cppcommand))
 		(goto-char (+ (point)
 			      (nth 1 (insert-file-contents tempname))))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/compile.el b/lisp/progmodes/compile.el
index a6e9ed8889a..f9c097e00ec 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/compile.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/compile.el
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ of[ \t]+\"?\\([a-zA-Z]?:?[^\":\n]+\\)\"?:" 3 2 nil (1))
 
     (cucumber
      "\\(?:^cucumber\\(?: -p [^[:space:]]+\\)?\\|#\\)\
-\\(?: \\)\\([^\(].*\\):\\([1-9][0-9]*\\)" 1 2)
+\\(?: \\)\\([^(].*\\):\\([1-9][0-9]*\\)" 1 2)
 
     (msft
      ;; Must be before edg-1, so that MSVC's longer messages are
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ of[ \t]+\"?\\([a-zA-Z]?:?[^\":\n]+\\)\"?:" 3 2 nil (1))
      1 2 3 (4 . 5))
 
     (ruby-Test::Unit
-     "^[\t ]*\\[\\([^\(].*\\):\\([1-9][0-9]*\\)\\(\\]\\)?:in " 1 2)
+     "^[\t ]*\\[\\([^(].*\\):\\([1-9][0-9]*\\)\\(\\]\\)?:in " 1 2)
 
     (gnu
      ;; The first line matches the program name for
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ File = \\(.+\\), Line = \\([0-9]+\\)\\(?:, Column = \\([0-9]+\\)\\)?"
      3 4 5 (1 . 2))
 
     (sun-ada
-     "^\\([^, \n\t]+\\), line \\([0-9]+\\), char \\([0-9]+\\)[:., \(-]" 1 2 3)
+     "^\\([^, \n\t]+\\), line \\([0-9]+\\), char \\([0-9]+\\)[:., (-]" 1 2 3)
 
     (watcom
      "^[ \t]*\\(\\(?:[a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)(\\([0-9]+\\)): ?\
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/cperl-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/cperl-mode.el
index 528bc44f8a8..ab3aa7f993a 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/cperl-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/cperl-mode.el
@@ -395,12 +395,12 @@ Affects: `cperl-font-lock', `cperl-electric-lbrace-space',
   :type 'boolean
   :group 'cperl-indentation-details)
 
-(defcustom cperl-vc-sccs-header '("($sccs) = ('%W\%' =~ /(\\d+(\\.\\d+)+)/) ;")
+(defcustom cperl-vc-sccs-header '("($sccs) = ('%W\ %' =~ /(\\d+(\\.\\d+)+)/) ;")
   "*Special version of `vc-sccs-header' that is used in CPerl mode buffers."
   :type '(repeat string)
   :group 'cperl)
 
-(defcustom cperl-vc-rcs-header '("($rcs) = (' $Id\$ ' =~ /(\\d+(\\.\\d+)+)/);")
+(defcustom cperl-vc-rcs-header '("($rcs) = (' $Id\ $ ' =~ /(\\d+(\\.\\d+)+)/);")
   "*Special version of `vc-rcs-header' that is used in CPerl mode buffers."
   :type '(repeat string)
      :group 'cperl)
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ corrected problems are: POD sections, here-documents, regexps.  The
 operations are: highlighting, indentation, electric keywords, electric
 braces.
 
-This may be confusing, since the regexp s#//#/#\; may be highlighted
+This may be confusing, since the regexp s#//#/#; may be highlighted
 as a comment, but it will be recognized as a regexp by the indentation
 code.  Or the opposite case, when a POD section is highlighted, but
 may break the indentation of the following code (though indentation
@@ -4585,13 +4585,13 @@ the sections using `cperl-pod-head-face', `cperl-pod-face',
 					 ((eq (char-after b) ?\: )
 					  "\\\\*\\[\\\\:\\^?\\sw+\\\\:]")
 					 ((eq (char-after b) ?^ )
-					  "\\\\*\\[:\\(\\\\\\^\\)?\\sw+:\]")
+					  "\\\\*\\[:\\(\\\\\\^\\)?\\sw+:]")
 					 ((eq (char-syntax (char-after b))
 					      ?w)
 					  (concat
 					   "\\\\*\\[:\\(\\\\\\^\\)?\\(\\\\"
 					   (char-to-string (char-after b))
-					   "\\|\\sw\\)+:\]"))
+					   "\\|\\sw\\)+:]"))
 					 (t "\\\\*\\[:\\^?\\sw*:]")))
 				       (goto-char REx-subgr-end)
 				       (cperl-highlight-charclass
@@ -5706,7 +5706,7 @@ indentation and initial hashes.  Behaves usually outside of comment."
 		 "redo" "return" "local" "exec" "sub" "do" "dump" "use" "our"
 		 "require" "package" "eval" "my" "BEGIN" "END" "CHECK" "INIT")
 	       "\\|")			; Flow control
-	      "\\)\\>") 2)		; was "\\)[ \n\t;():,\|&]"
+	      "\\)\\>") 2)		; was "\\)[ \n\t;():,|&]"
 					; In what follows we use `type' style
 					; for overwritable builtins
 	    (list
@@ -5850,7 +5850,7 @@ indentation and initial hashes.  Behaves usually outside of comment."
 		      (1 font-lock-string-face t))))
 		  (t '("\\([]}\\\\%@>*&]\\|\\$[a-zA-Z0-9_:]*\\)[ \t]*{[ \t]*\\(-?[a-zA-Z0-9_:]+\\)[ \t]*}"
 		       2 font-lock-string-face t)))
-	    '("[\[ \t{,(]\\(-?[a-zA-Z0-9_:]+\\)[ \t]*=>" 1
+	    '("[[ \t{,(]\\(-?[a-zA-Z0-9_:]+\\)[ \t]*=>" 1
 	      font-lock-string-face t)
 	    '("^[ \t]*\\([a-zA-Z0-9_]+[ \t]*:\\)[ \t]*\\($\\|{\\|\\<\\(until\\|while\\|for\\(each\\)?\\|do\\)\\>\\)" 1
 	      font-lock-constant-face)	; labels
@@ -5935,7 +5935,7 @@ indentation and initial hashes.  Behaves usually outside of comment."
 		 (and (string< "21.1.10" emacs-version)
 		      (string< emacs-version "21.1.2")))
 		'(
-		  ("\\(\\([@%]\\|\$#\\)[a-zA-Z_:][a-zA-Z0-9_:]*\\)" 1
+		  ("\\(\\([@%]\\|\\$#\\)[a-zA-Z_:][a-zA-Z0-9_:]*\\)" 1
 		   (if (eq (char-after (match-beginning 2)) ?%)
 		       'cperl-hash-face
 		     'cperl-array-face)
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/dcl-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/dcl-mode.el
index 4c997bdd4d0..8c8bef06ecc 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/dcl-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/dcl-mode.el
@@ -259,12 +259,12 @@ never indented."
   :group 'dcl)
 
 (defcustom dcl-imenu-generic-expression
-  `((nil "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\):[ \t]+SUBROUTINE\\b" 1)
+  `((nil "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\):[ \t]+SUBROUTINE\\b" 1)
     (,dcl-imenu-label-labels
-     "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\):\\([ \t]\\|$\\)" 1)
-    (,dcl-imenu-label-goto "\\s-GOTO[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\)" 1)
-    (,dcl-imenu-label-gosub "\\s-GOSUB[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\)" 1)
-    (,dcl-imenu-label-call "\\s-CALL[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\)" 1))
+     "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\):\\([ \t]\\|$\\)" 1)
+    (,dcl-imenu-label-goto "\\s-GOTO[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\)" 1)
+    (,dcl-imenu-label-gosub "\\s-GOSUB[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\)" 1)
+    (,dcl-imenu-label-call "\\s-CALL[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\)" 1))
   "Default imenu generic expression for DCL.
 
 The default includes SUBROUTINE labels in the main listing and
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ followed by space or tab."
 
 
 (defcustom dcl-label-r
-  "[a-zA-Z0-9_\$]*:\\([ \t!]\\|$\\)"
+  "[a-zA-Z0-9_$]*:\\([ \t!]\\|$\\)"
   "Regular expression describing a label.
 A label is a name followed by a colon followed by white-space or end-of-line."
   :type 'regexp
@@ -453,12 +453,12 @@ Preloaded with all known option names from dcl-option-alist")
 ;; above.  This version won't find GOTOs in comments or text strings.
 ;(defvar dcl-imenu-generic-expression
 ;  (`
-;   ((nil "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\):[ \t]+SUBROUTINE\\b" 1)
-;    ("Labels" "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\):\\([ \t]\\|$\\)" 1)
-;    ("GOTO" (, (concat dcl-cmd-r "GOTO[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\)")) 5)
+;   ((nil "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\):[ \t]+SUBROUTINE\\b" 1)
+;    ("Labels" "^\\$[ \t]*\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\):\\([ \t]\\|$\\)" 1)
+;    ("GOTO" (, (concat dcl-cmd-r "GOTO[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\)")) 5)
 ;    ("GOSUB" (, (concat dcl-cmd-r
-;			"GOSUB[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\)")) 5)
-;    ("CALL" (, (concat dcl-cmd-r "CALL[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_\$]+\\)")) 5)))
+;			"GOSUB[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\)")) 5)
+;    ("CALL" (, (concat dcl-cmd-r "CALL[ \t]+\\([A-Za-z0-9_$]+\\)")) 5)))
 ;  "*Default imenu generic expression for DCL.
 
 ;The default includes SUBROUTINE labels in the main listing and
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el
index 7614bacf1bb..bdc304e0aa5 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/elisp-mode.el
@@ -1247,7 +1247,7 @@ If the current defun is actually a call to `defvar',
 then reset the variable using the initial value expression
 even if the variable already has some other value.
 \(Normally `defvar' does not change the variable's value
-if it already has a value.\)
+if it already has a value.)
 
 Return the result of evaluation."
   ;; FIXME: the print-length/level bindings should only be applied while
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/f90.el b/lisp/progmodes/f90.el
index e8a1ae455ee..0ac59e1a1ea 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/f90.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/f90.el
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
   :group 'f90-indent)
 
 (defcustom f90-beginning-ampersand t
-  "Non-nil gives automatic insertion of \& at start of continuation line."
+  "Non-nil gives automatic insertion of `&' at start of continuation line."
   :type  'boolean
   :safe  'booleanp
   :group 'f90)
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ forall\\|block\\|critical\\)\\)\\_>"
 \\|enumerator\\|procedure\\|\
 logical\\|double[ \t]*precision\\|type[ \t]*(\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+)\\|none\\)[ \t]*"
       (1 font-lock-keyword-face) (2 font-lock-type-face))
-    '("\\_<\\(namelist\\|common\\)[ \t]*\/\\(\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+\\)?\/"
+    '("\\_<\\(namelist\\|common\\)[ \t]*/\\(\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+\\)?\/"
       (1 font-lock-keyword-face) (2 font-lock-constant-face nil t))
     "\\_<else\\([ \t]*if\\|where\\)?\\_>"
     '("\\(&\\)[ \t]*\\(!\\|$\\)"  (1 font-lock-keyword-face))
@@ -954,8 +954,8 @@ Used in the F90 entry in `hs-special-modes-alist'.")
    ;; and also variables of derived type "type (foo)".
    ;; "type, foo" must be a block (?).
    "type[ \t,]\\("
-   "[^i(!\n\"\& \t]\\|"                 ; not-i(
-   "i[^s!\n\"\& \t]\\|"                 ; i not-s
+   "[^i(!\n\"& \t]\\|"                 ; not-i(
+   "i[^s!\n\"& \t]\\|"                 ; i not-s
    "is\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)\\)\\|"
    ;; "abstract interface" is F2003; "submodule" is F2008.
    "program\\|\\(?:abstract[ \t]*\\)?interface\\|\\(?:sub\\)?module\\|"
@@ -992,9 +992,9 @@ Set subexpression 1 in the match-data to the name of the type."
     found))
 
 (defvar f90-imenu-generic-expression
-  (let ((good-char "[^!\"\&\n \t]") (not-e "[^e!\n\"\& \t]")
-        (not-n "[^n!\n\"\& \t]") (not-d "[^d!\n\"\& \t]")
-        ;; (not-ib "[^i(!\n\"\& \t]") (not-s "[^s!\n\"\& \t]")
+  (let ((good-char "[^!\"&\n \t]") (not-e "[^e!\n\"& \t]")
+        (not-n "[^n!\n\"& \t]") (not-d "[^d!\n\"& \t]")
+        ;; (not-ib "[^i(!\n\"& \t]") (not-s "[^s!\n\"& \t]")
         )
     `((nil "^[ \t0-9]*program[ \t]+\\(\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+\\)" 1)
       ("Submodules" "^[ \t0-9]*submodule[ \t]*([^)\n]+)[ \t]*\
@@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ Set subexpression 1 in the match-data to the name of the type."
          "\\("
          ;; At least three non-space characters before function/subroutine.
          ;; Check that the last three non-space characters do not spell E N D.
-         "[^!\"\&\n]*\\("
+         "[^!\"&\n]*\\("
          not-e good-char good-char "\\|"
          good-char not-n good-char "\\|"
          good-char good-char not-d "\\)"
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ Variables controlling indentation style and extra features:
   Non-nil causes `f90-do-auto-fill' to break lines before delimiters
   (default t).
 `f90-beginning-ampersand'
-  Automatic insertion of \& at beginning of continuation lines (default t).
+  Automatic insertion of `&' at beginning of continuation lines (default t).
 `f90-smart-end'
   From an END statement, check and fill the end using matching block start.
   Allowed values are `blink', `no-blink', and nil, which determine
@@ -1378,7 +1378,7 @@ write\\)[ \t]*([^)\n]*)")
    ((looking-at "\\(submodule\\)[ \t]*([^)\n]+)[ \t]*\\(\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+\\)\\_>")
     (list (match-string 1) (match-string 2)))
    ((and (not (looking-at "end[ \t]*\\(function\\|subroutine\\)"))
-         (looking-at "[^!'\"\&\n]*\\(function\\|subroutine\\)[ \t]+\
+         (looking-at "[^!'\"&\n]*\\(function\\|subroutine\\)[ \t]+\
 \\(\\(?:\\sw\\|\\s_\\)+\\)"))
     (list (match-string 1) (match-string 2)))))
 ;; Following will match an un-named main program block; however
@@ -2110,7 +2110,7 @@ Like `join-line', but handles F90 syntax."
   (if arg (forward-line 1))
   (when (eq (preceding-char) ?\n)
     (skip-chars-forward " \t")
-    (if (looking-at "\&") (delete-char 1))
+    (if (looking-at "&") (delete-char 1))
     (beginning-of-line)
     (delete-region (point) (1- (point)))
     (skip-chars-backward " \t")
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/flymake.el b/lisp/progmodes/flymake.el
index a9d47431e51..3adadd1386e 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/flymake.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/flymake.el
@@ -826,16 +826,16 @@ Convert it to flymake internal format."
   (append
    '(
      ;; MS Visual C++ 6.0
-     ("\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)(\\([0-9]+\\)) \: \\(\\(error\\|warning\\|fatal error\\) \\(C[0-9]+\\):[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)\\)"
+     ("\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)(\\([0-9]+\\)) : \\(\\(error\\|warning\\|fatal error\\) \\(C[0-9]+\\):[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)\\)"
       1 3 nil 4)
      ;; jikes
-     ("\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)\:\\([0-9]+\\)\:[0-9]+\:[0-9]+\:[0-9]+\: \\(\\(Error\\|Warning\\|Caution\\|Semantic Error\\):[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)\\)"
+     ("\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\):\\([0-9]+\\):[0-9]+:[0-9]+:[0-9]+: \\(\\(Error\\|Warning\\|Caution\\|Semantic Error\\):[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)\\)"
       1 3 nil 4)
      ;; MS midl
      ("midl[ ]*:[ ]*\\(command line error .*\\)"
       nil nil nil 1)
      ;; MS C#
-     ("\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)(\\([0-9]+\\),[0-9]+)\: \\(\\(error\\|warning\\|fatal error\\) \\(CS[0-9]+\\):[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)\\)"
+     ("\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)(\\([0-9]+\\),[0-9]+): \\(\\(error\\|warning\\|fatal error\\) \\(CS[0-9]+\\):[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)\\)"
       1 3 nil 4)
      ;; perl
      ("\\(.*\\) at \\([^ \n]+\\) line \\([0-9]+\\)[,.\n]" 2 3 nil 1)
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@ Convert it to flymake internal format."
      ("\\(?:Parse\\|Fatal\\) error: \\(.*\\) in \\(.*\\) on line \\([0-9]+\\)" 2 3 nil 1)
      ;; LaTeX warnings (fileless) ("\\(LaTeX \\(Warning\\|Error\\): .*\\) on input line \\([0-9]+\\)" 20 3 nil 1)
      ;; ant/javac.  Note this also matches gcc warnings!
-     (" *\\(\\[javac\\] *\\)?\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\)\:\\([0-9]+\\)\\(?:\:[0-9]+\\)?\:[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)"
+     (" *\\(\\[javac\\] *\\)?\\(\\([a-zA-Z]:\\)?[^:(\t\n]+\\):\\([0-9]+\\)\\(?::[0-9]+\\)?:[ \t\n]*\\(.+\\)"
       2 4 nil 5))
    ;; compilation-error-regexp-alist)
    (flymake-reformat-err-line-patterns-from-compile-el compilation-error-regexp-alist-alist))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/fortran.el b/lisp/progmodes/fortran.el
index ee4733f6e4e..ef470055065 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/fortran.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/fortran.el
@@ -244,8 +244,8 @@ line in region."
 (defcustom fortran-column-ruler-fixed
   "0   4 6  10        20        30        40        5\
 0        60        70\n\
-\[   ]|{   |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    \
-\|    |    |    |    |}\n"
+[   ]|{   |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    \
+|    |    |    |    |}\n"
   "String displayed above current line by \\[fortran-column-ruler].
 This variable is used in fixed format mode.
 See the variable `fortran-column-ruler-tab' for TAB format mode."
@@ -257,8 +257,8 @@ See the variable `fortran-column-ruler-tab' for TAB format mode."
 (defcustom fortran-column-ruler-tab
   "0       810        20        30        40        5\
 0        60        70\n\
-\[   ]|  { |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    \
-\|    |    |    |    |}\n"
+[   ]|  { |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    \
+|    |    |    |    |}\n"
   "String displayed above current line by \\[fortran-column-ruler].
 This variable is used in TAB format mode.
 See the variable `fortran-column-ruler-fixed' for fixed format mode."
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/glasses.el b/lisp/progmodes/glasses.el
index 257c3d2a80f..6ee32b0b3ee 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/glasses.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/glasses.el
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ CATEGORY is the overlay category.  If it is nil, use the `glasses' category."
 	;; Parentheses
 	(when glasses-separate-parentheses-p
 	  (goto-char beg)
-	  (while (re-search-forward "[a-zA-Z]_*\\(\(\\)" end t)
+	  (while (re-search-forward "[a-zA-Z]_*\\((\\)" end t)
 	    (unless (glasses-parenthesis-exception-p (point-at-bol) (match-end 1))
 	      (glasses-make-overlay (match-beginning 1) (match-end 1)
 				    'glasses-parenthesis))))))))
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ recognized according to the current value of the variable `glasses-separator'."
 	      (goto-char (match-beginning 1)))))
 	(when glasses-separate-parentheses-p
 	  (goto-char (point-min))
-	  (while (re-search-forward "[a-zA-Z]_*\\( \\)\(" nil t)
+	  (while (re-search-forward "[a-zA-Z]_*\\( \\)(" nil t)
 	    (unless (glasses-parenthesis-exception-p (point-at-bol) (1+ (match-end 1)))
 	      (replace-match "" t nil nil 1)))))))
   ;; nil must be returned to allow use in write file hooks
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/idlw-shell.el b/lisp/progmodes/idlw-shell.el
index 50ebadf733b..5aeb4ea1a07 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/idlw-shell.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/idlw-shell.el
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ it contains an error message, even if hide-output is non-nil.")
 
 (defvar idlwave-shell-pending-commands nil
   "List of commands to be sent to IDL.
-Each element of the list is list of \(CMD PCMD HIDE\), where CMD is a
+Each element of the list is list of \(CMD PCMD HIDE), where CMD is a
 string to be sent to IDL and PCMD is a post-command to be placed on
 `idlwave-shell-post-command-hook'.  If HIDE is non-nil, hide the output
 from command CMD.  PCMD and HIDE are optional.")
@@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ Return either nil or 'hide."
 					     show-if-error)
   "Send a command to IDL process.
 
-\(CMD PCMD HIDE\) are placed at the end of `idlwave-shell-pending-commands'.
+\(CMD PCMD HIDE) are placed at the end of `idlwave-shell-pending-commands'.
 If IDL is ready the first command in `idlwave-shell-pending-commands',
 CMD, is sent to the IDL process.
 
@@ -1256,7 +1256,7 @@ stepping through code with output.
 If optional fourth argument PREEMPT is non-nil CMD is put at front of
 `idlwave-shell-pending-commands'.  If PREEMPT is 'wait, wait for all
 output to complete and the next prompt to arrive before returning
-\(useful if you need an answer now\).  IDL is considered ready if the
+\(useful if you need an answer now).  IDL is considered ready if the
 prompt is present and if `idlwave-shell-ready' is non-nil.
 
 If SHOW-IF-ERROR is non-nil, show the output if it contains an error
@@ -3122,7 +3122,7 @@ versions of IDL."
 	 (string-match "\\.\\'" pre)))             ;; structure member
 
        ;; Skip over strings
-       ((and (string-match "\\([\"\']\\)[^\1]*$" pre)
+       ((and (string-match "\\([\"']\\)[^\1]*$" pre)
 	     (string-match (concat "^[^" (match-string 1 pre) "]*"
 				   (match-string 1 pre)) post))
 	(setq start (+ start (match-end 0))))
@@ -3212,7 +3212,7 @@ size(___,/DIMENSIONS)"
 
 (defvar idlwave-shell-bp-alist nil
   "Alist of breakpoints.
-A breakpoint is a cons cell \(\(file line\) . \(\(index module\) data\)\)
+A breakpoint is a cons cell \((file line) . \((index module) data))
 
 The car is the `frame' for the breakpoint:
 file - full path file name.
@@ -3921,7 +3921,7 @@ Query as a function if TYPE set to something beside `pro'."
   "Get module source, and update `idlwave-shell-sources-alist'."
   (let ((old (assoc (upcase module) idlwave-shell-sources-alist))
 	filename)
-    (when (string-match "\.PATH *[\n\r]\\([^%][^\r\n]+\\)[\n\r]"
+    (when (string-match ".PATH *[\n\r]\\([^%][^\r\n]+\\)[\n\r]"
 			idlwave-shell-command-output)
       (setq filename (substring idlwave-shell-command-output
 				(match-beginning 1) (match-end 1)))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/idlwave.el b/lisp/progmodes/idlwave.el
index b524b761b75..ac2259df6a4 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/idlwave.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/idlwave.el
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ The actions that can be performed are listed in `idlwave-indent-action-table'."
 
 (defcustom idlwave-abbrev-start-char "\\"
   "A single character string used to start abbreviations in abbrev mode.
-Possible characters to choose from: ~\\=`\%
+Possible characters to choose from: ~\\=`%
 or even `?'.  `.' is not a good choice because it can make structure
 field names act like abbrevs in certain circumstances.
 
@@ -1559,7 +1559,7 @@ KEY in `idlwave-mode-map' by defining an anonymous function calling
 `self-insert-command' followed by CMD.  If KEY contains more than one
 character a binding will only be set if SELECT is 'both.
 
-\(KEY . CMD\) is also placed in the `idlwave-indent-expand-table',
+\(KEY . CMD) is also placed in the `idlwave-indent-expand-table',
 replacing any previous value for KEY.  If a binding is not set then it
 will instead be placed in `idlwave-indent-action-table'.
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/inf-lisp.el b/lisp/progmodes/inf-lisp.el
index 17aaab9e2c3..290ebeea290 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/inf-lisp.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/inf-lisp.el
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ Used by these commands to determine defaults."
 				     (file-name-nondirectory file-name)))
   (comint-send-string (inferior-lisp-proc) (concat "(compile-file \""
 						   file-name
-						   "\"\)\n"))
+						   "\")\n"))
   (switch-to-lisp t))
 
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/js.el b/lisp/progmodes/js.el
index 98a22dd8441..71d0229471a 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/js.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/js.el
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ An example of this is \"Class.prototype = { method1: ...}\".")
 (defconst js--prototype-objextend-class-decl-re-2
   (concat "^\\s-*\\(?:var\\s-+\\)?"
           "\\(" js--dotted-name-re "\\)"
-          "\\s-*=\\s-*Object\\.extend\\s-*\("))
+          "\\s-*=\\s-*Object\\.extend\\s-*("))
 
 ;; var NewClass = Class.create({
 (defconst js--prototype-class-decl-re
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ enabled frameworks."
          (js--maybe-join
           "\\(?:var[ \t]+\\)?[a-zA-Z_$0-9.]+[ \t]*=[ \t]*\\(?:"
           "\\|"
-          "\\)[ \t]*\("
+          "\\)[ \t]*("
 
           (when (memq 'prototype js-enabled-frameworks)
                     "Class\\.create")
@@ -651,10 +651,10 @@ enabled frameworks."
             "[a-zA-Z_$0-9]+\\.extend\\(?:Final\\)?"))
 
          (when (memq 'dojo js-enabled-frameworks)
-           "dojo\\.declare[ \t]*\(")
+           "dojo\\.declare[ \t]*(")
 
          (when (memq 'mochikit js-enabled-frameworks)
-           "MochiKit\\.Base\\.update[ \t]*\(")
+           "MochiKit\\.Base\\.update[ \t]*(")
 
          ;; mumble.prototypeTHING
          (js--maybe-join
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ enabled frameworks."
 
           (when (memq 'javascript js-enabled-frameworks)
             '( ;; foo.prototype.bar = function(
-              "\\.[a-zA-Z_$0-9]+[ \t]*=[ \t]*function[ \t]*\("
+              "\\.[a-zA-Z_$0-9]+[ \t]*=[ \t]*function[ \t]*("
 
               ;; mumble.prototype = {
               "[ \t]*=[ \t]*{")))))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/m4-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/m4-mode.el
index 511b25486a2..b0b0bdcef04 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/m4-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/m4-mode.el
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ If m4 is not in your PATH, set this to an absolute file name."
   `(
     ("\\(\\_<\\(m4_\\)?dnl\\_>\\).*$" . font-lock-comment-face)
     ("\\$[*#@0-9]" . font-lock-variable-name-face)
-    ("\\\$\\\@" . font-lock-variable-name-face)
-    ("\\\$\\\*" . font-lock-variable-name-face)
+    ("\\$\\@" . font-lock-variable-name-face)
+    ("\\$\\*" . font-lock-variable-name-face)
     ("\\b\\(builtin\\|change\\(com\\|quote\\|word\\)\\|d\\(e\\(bug\\(file\\|mode\\)\\|cr\\|f\\(ine\\|n\\)\\)\\|iv\\(ert\\|num\\)\\|nl\\|umpdef\\)\\|e\\(rrprint\\|syscmd\\|val\\)\\|f\\(ile\\|ormat\\)\\|gnu\\|i\\(f\\(def\\|else\\)\\|n\\(c\\(lude\\|r\\)\\|d\\(ex\\|ir\\)\\)\\)\\|l\\(en\\|ine\\)\\|m\\(4\\(exit\\|wrap\\)\\|aketemp\\)\\|p\\(atsubst\\|opdef\\|ushdef\\)\\|regexp\\|s\\(hift\\|include\\|ubstr\\|ys\\(cmd\\|val\\)\\)\\|tra\\(ceo\\(ff\\|n\\)\\|nslit\\)\\|un\\(d\\(efine\\|ivert\\)\\|ix\\)\\)\\b" . font-lock-keyword-face)
     ("\\b\\(m4_\\(builtin\\|change\\(com\\|quote\\|word\\)\\|d\\(e\\(bug\\(file\\|mode\\)\\|cr\\|f\\(ine\\|n\\)\\)\\|iv\\(ert\\|num\\)\\|nl\\|umpdef\\)\\|e\\(rrprint\\|syscmd\\|val\\)\\|f\\(ile\\|ormat\\)\\|i\\(f\\(def\\|else\\)\\|n\\(c\\(lude\\|r\\)\\|d\\(ex\\|ir\\)\\)\\)\\|l\\(en\\|ine\\)\\|m\\(4\\(_undefine\\|exit\\|wrap\\)\\|aketemp\\)\\|p\\(atsubst\\|opdef\\|ushdef\\)\\|regexp\\|s\\(hift\\|include\\|ubstr\\|ys\\(cmd\\|val\\)\\)\\|tra\\(ceo\\(ff\\|n\\)\\|nslit\\)\\|undivert\\)\\)\\b" . font-lock-keyword-face))
   "Default `font-lock-keywords' for M4 mode.")
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/mantemp.el b/lisp/progmodes/mantemp.el
index 6b92c7ee2d6..a0f50fc0f19 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/mantemp.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/mantemp.el
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
   (save-excursion
     (goto-char (point-min))
     (message "Removing comments")
-    (while (re-search-forward "^[A-z\.()+0-9: ]*`\\|'.*$" nil t)
+    (while (re-search-forward "^[A-z.()+0-9: ]*`\\|'.*$" nil t)
       (replace-match ""))))
 
 (defun mantemp-remove-memfuncs ()
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/perl-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/perl-mode.el
index 3521a139809..55d69bfddff 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/perl-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/perl-mode.el
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ Returns (parse-state) if line starts inside a string."
            (if (save-excursion (goto-char indent-point)
                                (looking-at
                                 (if perl-indent-parens-as-block
-                                    "[ \t]*[{(\[]" "[ \t]*{")))
+                                    "[ \t]*[{([]" "[ \t]*{")))
                perl-continued-brace-offset 0)))
        (t
         ;; This line starts a new statement.
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/prog-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/prog-mode.el
index 8f50887113e..f1aa35f2871 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/prog-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/prog-mode.el
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ indentation of a line/region to the indentation engine of the sub
 mode, it is supposed to bind this variable to non-nil around the call.
 
 The non-nil value looks as follows
-   \(FIRST-COLUMN (START . END) PREVIOUS-CHUNKS)
+   (FIRST-COLUMN (START . END) PREVIOUS-CHUNKS)
 
 FIRST-COLUMN is the column the indentation engine of the sub mode
 should usually choose for top-level language constructs inside
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ values are:
 
  - A function called with the start position of the current
    chunk.  It will return either the region of the previous chunk
-   as \(PREV-START . PREV-END) or nil if there is no further
+   as (PREV-START . PREV-END) or nil if there is no further
    previous chunk.
 
    A typical use case are literate programming sources - the
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/prolog.el b/lisp/progmodes/prolog.el
index 5a4ed84c346..b36df213ce1 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/prolog.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/prolog.el
@@ -2357,7 +2357,7 @@ This function is only available when `prolog-system' is set to `swi'."
 (defun prolog-atom-under-point ()
   "Return the atom under or left to the point."
   (save-excursion
-    (let ((nonatom_chars "[](){},\. \t\n")
+    (let ((nonatom_chars "[](){},. \t\n")
           start)
       (skip-chars-forward (concat "^" nonatom_chars))
       (skip-chars-backward nonatom_chars)
@@ -2826,10 +2826,10 @@ objects (relevant only if `prolog-system' is set to `sicstus')."
                   (eq prolog-system 'sicstus)
                   (prolog-in-object))
              (format
-              "^\\(%s\\|%s\\|[^\n\'\"%%]\\)*&[ \t]*\\(\\|%%.*\\)$\\|[ \t]*}"
+              "^\\(%s\\|%s\\|[^\n'\"%%]\\)*&[ \t]*\\(\\|%%.*\\)$\\|[ \t]*}"
               prolog-quoted-atom-regexp prolog-string-regexp)
            (format
-            "^\\(%s\\|%s\\|[^\n\'\"%%]\\)*\\.[ \t]*\\(\\|%%.*\\)$"
+            "^\\(%s\\|%s\\|[^\n'\"%%]\\)*\\.[ \t]*\\(\\|%%.*\\)$"
             prolog-quoted-atom-regexp prolog-string-regexp))
          nil t)
         (if (and (nth 8 (syntax-ppss))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/ruby-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/ruby-mode.el
index 026616e68f4..a5efb934a22 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/ruby-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/ruby-mode.el
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ It is used when `ruby-encoding-magic-comment-style' is set to `custom'."
   (let ((index-alist '()) (case-fold-search nil)
         name next pos decl sing)
     (goto-char beg)
-    (while (re-search-forward "^\\s *\\(\\(class\\s +\\|\\(class\\s *<<\\s *\\)\\|module\\s +\\)\\([^\(<\n ]+\\)\\|\\(def\\|alias\\)\\s +\\([^\(\n ]+\\)\\)" end t)
+    (while (re-search-forward "^\\s *\\(\\(class\\s +\\|\\(class\\s *<<\\s *\\)\\|module\\s +\\)\\([^(<\n ]+\\)\\|\\(def\\|alias\\)\\s +\\([^(\n ]+\\)\\)" end t)
       (setq sing (match-beginning 3))
       (setq decl (match-string 5))
       (setq next (match-end 0))
@@ -1795,7 +1795,7 @@ If the result is do-end block, it will always be multiline."
       (setq content
             (if (equal string-quote "\"")
                 (replace-regexp-in-string "\\\\\"" "\"" (replace-regexp-in-string "\\([^\\\\]\\)'" "\\1\\\\'" content))
-              (replace-regexp-in-string "\\\\\'" "'" (replace-regexp-in-string "\\([^\\\\]\\)\"" "\\1\\\\\"" content))))
+              (replace-regexp-in-string "\\\\'" "'" (replace-regexp-in-string "\\([^\\\\]\\)\"" "\\1\\\\\"" content))))
       (let ((orig-point (point)))
         (delete-region min max)
         (insert
@@ -2192,7 +2192,7 @@ See `font-lock-syntax-table'.")
     ;; Constants.
     ("\\(?:\\_<\\|::\\)\\([A-Z]+\\(\\w\\|_\\)*\\)"
      1 (unless (eq ?\( (char-after)) font-lock-type-face))
-    ("\\(^\\s *\\|[\[\{\(,]\\s *\\|\\sw\\s +\\)\\(\\(\\sw\\|_\\)+\\):[^:]"
+    ("\\(^\\s *\\|[[{(,]\\s *\\|\\sw\\s +\\)\\(\\(\\sw\\|_\\)+\\):[^:]"
      (2 font-lock-constant-face))
     ;; Conversion methods on Kernel.
     (,(concat ruby-font-lock-keyword-beg-re
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/scheme.el b/lisp/progmodes/scheme.el
index a21bc198e3b..e921e84a33e 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/scheme.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/scheme.el
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ that variable's value is a string."
   (eval-when-compile
     (list
      ;; Similar to Scheme
-     (list "(\\(define\\(-\\w+\\)?\\)\\>[ 	]*\\\((?\\)\\(\\sw+\\)\\>"
+     (list "(\\(define\\(-\\w+\\)?\\)\\>[ 	]*\\((?\\)\\(\\sw+\\)\\>"
 	   '(1 font-lock-keyword-face)
 	   '(4 font-lock-function-name-face))
      (cons
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el b/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el
index 735c8f96888..049c93dfae2 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/sh-script.el
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ naming the shell."
      . ((nil
 	 ;; function FOO
 	 ;; function FOO()
-         "^\\s-*function\\s-+\\\([[:alpha:]_][[:alnum:]_]*\\)\\s-*\\(?:()\\)?"
+         "^\\s-*function\\s-+\\([[:alpha:]_][[:alnum:]_]*\\)\\s-*\\(?:()\\)?"
          1)
 	;; FOO()
 	(nil
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ For use in `add-log-current-defun-function'."
 	   (concat "\\(?:"
 		   ;; function FOO
 		   ;; function FOO()
-		   "^\\s-*function\\s-+\\\([[:alpha:]_][[:alnum:]_]*\\)\\s-*\\(?:()\\)?"
+		   "^\\s-*function\\s-+\\([[:alpha:]_][[:alnum:]_]*\\)\\s-*\\(?:()\\)?"
 		   "\\)\\|\\(?:"
 		   ;; FOO()
 		   "^\\s-*\\([[:alpha:]_][[:alnum:]_]*\\)\\s-*()"
@@ -2319,7 +2319,7 @@ controls whether to query about making the visited file executable.
 
 Calls the value of `sh-set-shell-hook' if set."
   (interactive (list (completing-read
-                      (format "Shell \(default %s\): "
+                      (format "Shell (default %s): "
                               sh-shell-file)
                       ;; This used to use interpreter-mode-alist, but that is
                       ;; no longer appropriate now that uses regexps.
@@ -2810,15 +2810,15 @@ Return new point if successful, nil if an error occurred."
   "Return indent-info for this line.
 This is a list.  nil means the line is to be left as is.
 Otherwise it contains one or more of the following sublists:
-\(t NUMBER\)   NUMBER is the base location in the buffer that indentation is
+\(t NUMBER)   NUMBER is the base location in the buffer that indentation is
 	     relative to.  If present, this is always the first of the
 	     sublists.  The indentation of the line in question is
 	     derived from the indentation of this point, possibly
 	     modified by subsequent sublists.
-\(+ VAR\)
-\(- VAR\)      Get the value of variable VAR and add to or subtract from
+\(+ VAR)
+\(- VAR)      Get the value of variable VAR and add to or subtract from
 	     the indentation calculated so far.
-\(= VAR\)	     Get the value of variable VAR and *replace* the
+\(= VAR)      Get the value of variable VAR and *replace* the
 	     indentation with its value.  This only occurs for
 	     special variables such as `sh-indent-comment'.
 STRING	     This is ignored for the purposes of calculating
@@ -3086,7 +3086,7 @@ we go to the end of the previous line and do not check for continuations."
 		(setq prev (point))
 		))
 	  ;; backward-sexp failed
-	  (if (zerop (skip-chars-backward " \t()[\]{};`'"))
+	  (if (zerop (skip-chars-backward " \t()[]{};`'"))
 	      (forward-char -1))
 	  (if (bolp)
 	      (let ((back (sh-prev-line nil)))
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/sql.el b/lisp/progmodes/sql.el
index 3b77ac088e3..abc99eec909 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/sql.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/sql.el
@@ -381,9 +381,9 @@ file.  Since that is a plaintext file, this could be dangerous."
      :sqli-options sql-ingres-options
      :sqli-login sql-ingres-login-params
      :sqli-comint-func sql-comint-ingres
-     :prompt-regexp "^\* "
+     :prompt-regexp "^\\* "
      :prompt-length 2
-     :prompt-cont-regexp "^\* ")
+     :prompt-cont-regexp "^\\* ")
 
     (interbase
      :name "Interbase"
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ highlighted and will not support `sql-interactive-mode'.
 
 Each element in the list is in the following format:
 
- \(PRODUCT FEATURE VALUE ...)
+ (PRODUCT FEATURE VALUE ...)
 
 where PRODUCT is the appropriate value of `sql-product'.  The
 product name is then followed by FEATURE-VALUE pairs.  If a
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ settings.")
   "An alist of connection parameters for interacting with a SQL product.
 Each element of the alist is as follows:
 
-  \(CONNECTION \(SQL-VARIABLE VALUE) ...)
+  (CONNECTION \(SQL-VARIABLE VALUE) ...)
 
 Where CONNECTION is a case-insensitive string identifying the
 connection, SQL-VARIABLE is the symbol name of a SQL mode
@@ -3897,14 +3897,14 @@ Here is an example for your init file.  It keeps the SQLi buffer a
 certain length.
 
 \(add-hook \\='sql-interactive-mode-hook
-    \(function (lambda ()
-        \(setq comint-output-filter-functions \\='comint-truncate-buffer))))
+    (function (lambda ()
+        (setq comint-output-filter-functions \\='comint-truncate-buffer))))
 
 Here is another example.  It will always put point back to the statement
 you entered, right above the output it created.
 
 \(setq comint-output-filter-functions
-       \(function (lambda (STR) (comint-show-output))))"
+       (function (lambda (STR) (comint-show-output))))"
   (delay-mode-hooks (comint-mode))
 
   ;; Get the `sql-product' for this interactive session.
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/vera-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/vera-mode.el
index 5f1cb53f1dd..bce56a447f0 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/vera-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/vera-mode.el
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ Usage:
 
   INDENTATION:  Typing `TAB' at the beginning of a line indents the line.
     The amount of indentation is specified by option `vera-basic-offset'.
-    Indentation can be done for an entire region \(`M-C-\\') or buffer (menu).
+    Indentation can be done for an entire region (`M-C-\\') or buffer (menu).
     `TAB' always indents the line if option `vera-intelligent-tab' is nil.
 
   WORD/COMMAND COMPLETION:  Typing `TAB' after a (not completed) word looks
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/verilog-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/verilog-mode.el
index ac9bdd8b254..58ffba3dddb 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/verilog-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/verilog-mode.el
@@ -2469,7 +2469,7 @@ find the errors."
    "\\(\\<begin\\>\\)\\|"		         ; 1
    "\\(\\<else\\>\\)\\|"		         ; 2
    "\\(\\<end\\>\\s-+\\<else\\>\\)\\|"	         ; 3
-   "\\(\\<always\\(?:_ff\\)?\\>\\(?:\[ \t\]*@\\)\\)\\|"    ; 4 (matches always or always_ff w/ @...)
+   "\\(\\<always\\(?:_ff\\)?\\>\\(?:[ \t]*@\\)\\)\\|"    ; 4 (matches always or always_ff w/ @...)
    "\\(\\<always\\(?:_comb\\|_latch\\)?\\>\\)\\|"  ; 5 (matches always, always_comb, always_latch w/o @...)
    "\\(\\<fork\\>\\)\\|"			 ; 7
    "\\(\\<if\\>\\)\\|"
@@ -3194,10 +3194,10 @@ See also `verilog-font-lock-extra-types'.")
                                                       'font-lock-preprocessor-face
                                                     'font-lock-type-face))
 		 ;; Fontify delays/numbers
-		 '("\\(@\\)\\|\\([ \t\n\f\r]#\\s-*\\(\\(\[0-9_.\]+\\('s?[hdxbo][0-9a-fA-F_xz]*\\)?\\)\\|\\(([^()]+)\\|\\sw+\\)\\)\\)"
+		 '("\\(@\\)\\|\\([ \t\n\f\r]#\\s-*\\(\\([0-9_.]+\\('s?[hdxbo][0-9a-fA-F_xz]*\\)?\\)\\|\\(([^()]+)\\|\\sw+\\)\\)\\)"
 		   0 font-lock-type-face append)
      ;; Fontify property/sequence cycle delays - these start with '##'
-     '("\\(##\\(\\sw+\\|\\[[^\]]+\\]\\)\\)"
+     '("\\(##\\(\\sw+\\|\\[[^]]+\\]\\)\\)"
        0 font-lock-type-face append)
 		 ;; Fontify instantiation names
 		 '("\\([A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9_]*\\)\\s-*(" 1 font-lock-function-name-face)
@@ -3936,7 +3936,7 @@ With optional ARG, remove existing end of line comments."
 (defun electric-verilog-semi-with-comment ()
   "Insert `;' character, reindent the line and indent for comment."
   (interactive)
-  (insert "\;")
+  (insert ";")
   (save-excursion
     (beginning-of-line)
     (verilog-indent-line))
@@ -4072,7 +4072,7 @@ if it reaches the end of the buffer."
 The upper left corner is defined by point.  Indices begin with 0
 and extend to the MAX - 1.  If no prefix arg is given, the user
 is prompted for a value.  The indices are surrounded by square
-brackets \[].  For example, the following code with the point
+brackets [].  For example, the following code with the point
 located after the first 'a' gives:
 
     a = b                           a[  0] = b
@@ -5072,7 +5072,7 @@ Useful for creating tri's and other expanded fields."
     (if (verilog-within-string)
 	(re-search-forward "\"" nil t)
       (if (verilog-in-star-comment-p)
-	  (re-search-forward "\*/" nil t)
+	  (re-search-forward "\\*/" nil t)
 	(let ((bpt (- (point) 2)))
 	  (end-of-line)
 	  (delete-region bpt (point))))))
@@ -5184,7 +5184,7 @@ becomes:
                  (t
                   )))
                ((verilog-in-star-comment-p)
-                (re-search-backward "/\*")
+                (re-search-backward "/\\*")
                 (insert (format " // surefire lint_off_line %6s" code )))
                (t
                 (insert (format " // surefire lint_off_line %6s" code ))
@@ -6054,7 +6054,7 @@ Optional BOUND limits search."
 		(verilog-re-search-backward "//" nil 'move)
                 (skip-chars-backward "/"))
                ((nth 4 state)  ; in /* */ comment
-		(verilog-re-search-backward "/\*" nil 'move))))
+		(verilog-re-search-backward "/\\*" nil 'move))))
 	    (narrow-to-region bound (point))
 	    (while (/= here (point))
 	      (setq here (point))
@@ -6092,7 +6092,7 @@ Optional BOUND limits search."
 		(skip-chars-forward " \t\n\f")
 		)
                ((nth 4 state)  ; in /* */ comment
-		(verilog-re-search-forward "\*\/\\s-*" nil 'move))))
+		(verilog-re-search-forward "\\*/\\s-*" nil 'move))))
 	    (narrow-to-region (point) bound)
 	    (while (/= here (point))
 	      (setq here (point)
@@ -6673,7 +6673,7 @@ Do not count named blocks or case-statements."
 	       (save-excursion
 		 (forward-line -1)
 		 (skip-chars-forward " \t")
-		 (looking-at "\*")))
+		 (looking-at "\\*")))
 	  (insert "* ")))))
 
 (defun verilog-comment-indent (&optional _arg)
@@ -7078,7 +7078,7 @@ Region is defined by B and EDPOS."
 		(beginning-of-line)
 		(point-marker)
 	      (end-of-line))))
-      (if (re-search-backward " /\\* \[#-\]# \[a-zA-Z\]+ \[0-9\]+ ## \\*/" b t)
+      (if (re-search-backward " /\\* [#-]# [a-zA-Z]+ [0-9]+ ## \\*/" b t)
 	  (progn
 	    (replace-match " /* -#  ## */")
 	    (end-of-line))
@@ -8196,32 +8196,32 @@ Tieoff value uses `verilog-active-low-regexp' and
   (verilog-backward-open-paren)
   (let (done)
     (while (not done)
-      (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\()\\|\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]\\|\\]\\)" nil nil)  ; ] isn't word boundary
+      (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\()\\|\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]\\|\\]\\)" nil nil)  ; ] isn't word boundary
       (cond ((looking-at ")")
              (verilog-backward-open-paren))
             (t (setq done t)))))
   (while (looking-at "\\]")
     (verilog-backward-open-bracket)
-    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\(\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]\\|\\]\\)" nil nil))
+    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\(\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]\\|\\]\\)" nil nil))
   (skip-chars-backward "a-zA-Z0-9`_$"))
 
 (defun verilog-read-inst-module-matcher ()
   "Set match data 0 with module_name when point is inside instantiation."
   (verilog-read-inst-backward-name)
   ;; Skip over instantiation name
-  (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\(\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]\\|)\\)" nil nil)  ; ) isn't word boundary
+  (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\(\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]\\|)\\)" nil nil)  ; ) isn't word boundary
   ;; Check for parameterized instantiations
   (when (looking-at ")")
     (verilog-backward-open-paren)
-    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]" nil nil))
+    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]" nil nil))
   (skip-chars-backward "a-zA-Z0-9'_$")
   ;; #1 is legal syntax for gate primitives
   (when (save-excursion
 	  (verilog-backward-syntactic-ws-quick)
 	  (eq ?# (char-before)))
-    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]" nil nil)
+    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]" nil nil)
     (skip-chars-backward "a-zA-Z0-9'_$"))
-  (looking-at "[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+")
+  (looking-at "[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+")
   ;; Important: don't use match string, this must work with Emacs 19 font-lock on
   (buffer-substring-no-properties (match-beginning 0) (match-end 0))
   ;; Caller assumes match-beginning/match-end is still set
@@ -8236,7 +8236,7 @@ Tieoff value uses `verilog-active-low-regexp' and
   "Return instance_name when point is inside instantiation."
   (save-excursion
     (verilog-read-inst-backward-name)
-    (looking-at "[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+")
+    (looking-at "[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+")
     ;; Important: don't use match string, this must work with Emacs 19 font-lock on
     (buffer-substring-no-properties (match-beginning 0) (match-end 0))))
 
@@ -8247,7 +8247,7 @@ Tieoff value uses `verilog-active-low-regexp' and
     ;; Due to "module x import y (" we must search for declaration begin
     (verilog-re-search-backward-quick verilog-defun-re nil nil)
     (goto-char (match-end 0))
-    (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+" nil nil)
+    (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+" nil nil)
     ;; Important: don't use match string, this must work with Emacs 19 font-lock on
     (verilog-symbol-detick
      (buffer-substring-no-properties (match-beginning 0) (match-end 0)) t)))
@@ -8257,7 +8257,7 @@ Tieoff value uses `verilog-active-low-regexp' and
   (save-excursion
     (verilog-read-inst-backward-name)
     ;; Skip over instantiation name
-    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\(\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]\\|)\\)" nil nil)  ; ) isn't word boundary
+    (verilog-re-search-backward-quick "\\(\\b[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]\\|)\\)" nil nil)  ; ) isn't word boundary
     ;; If there are parameterized instantiations
     (when (looking-at ")")
       (let ((end-pt (point))
@@ -8265,9 +8265,9 @@ Tieoff value uses `verilog-active-low-regexp' and
 	    param-name paren-beg-pt param-value)
 	(verilog-backward-open-paren)
 	(while (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\." end-pt t)
-	  (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\([a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]\\)" nil nil)
+	  (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\([a-zA-Z0-9`_$]\\)" nil nil)
 	  (skip-chars-backward "a-zA-Z0-9'_$")
-	  (looking-at "[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+")
+	  (looking-at "[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+")
 	  (setq param-name (buffer-substring-no-properties
 			    (match-beginning 0) (match-end 0)))
 	  (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "(" nil nil)
@@ -10641,7 +10641,7 @@ Typing \\[verilog-inject-auto] will make this into:
   (save-excursion
     (goto-char (point-min))
     ;; It's hard to distinguish modules; we'll instead search for pins.
-    (while (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\.\\s *[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+\\s *(\\s *[a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+\\s *)" nil t)
+    (while (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\.\\s *[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+\\s *(\\s *[a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+\\s *)" nil t)
       (verilog-backward-open-paren)  ; Inst start
       (cond
        ((= (preceding-char) ?\#)  ; #(...) parameter section, not pin.  Skip.
@@ -10656,7 +10656,7 @@ Typing \\[verilog-inject-auto] will make this into:
 		(t
 		 ;; Delete identical interconnect
                  (let ((case-fold-search nil))  ; So we don't convert upper-to-lower, etc
-		   (while (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\.\\s *\\([a-zA-Z0-9`_\$]+\\)*\\s *(\\s *\\1\\s *)\\s *" end-pt t)
+		   (while (verilog-re-search-forward-quick "\\.\\s *\\([a-zA-Z0-9`_$]+\\)*\\s *(\\s *\\1\\s *)\\s *" end-pt t)
 		     (delete-region (match-beginning 0) (match-end 0))
                      (setq end-pt (- end-pt (- (match-end 0) (match-beginning 0))))  ; Keep it correct
 		     (while (or (looking-at "[ \t\n\f,]+")
@@ -11153,7 +11153,7 @@ If PAR-VALUES replace final strings with these parameter values."
 	  (for-star
 	   (indent-to (+ (if (< verilog-auto-inst-column 48) 24 16)
 			 verilog-auto-inst-column))
-	   (verilog-insert " // Implicit .\*\n")) ;For some reason the . or * must be escaped...
+	   (verilog-insert " // Implicit .*\n"))
 	  (t
 	   (insert "\n")))))
 ;;(verilog-auto-inst-port (list "foo" "[5:0]") 10 (list (list "foo" "a@\"(% (+ @ 1) 4)\"a")) "3")
@@ -11397,12 +11397,12 @@ Multiple Module Templates:
   instantiation name.
 
   If a regular expression is provided, the @ character will be replaced
-  with the first \(\) grouping that matches against the cell name.  Using a
-  regexp of \"\\([0-9]+\\)\" provides identical values for @ as when no
+  with the first () grouping that matches against the cell name.  Using a
+  regexp of `\\([0-9]+\\)' provides identical values for @ as when no
   regexp is provided.  If you use multiple layers of parenthesis,
-  \"test\\([^0-9]+\\)_\\([0-9]+\\)\" would replace @ with non-number
+  `test\\([^0-9]+\\)_\\([0-9]+\\)' would replace @ with non-number
   characters after test and before _, whereas
-  \"\\(test\\([a-z]+\\)_\\([0-9]+\\)\\)\" would replace @ with the entire
+  `\\(test\\([a-z]+\\)_\\([0-9]+\\)\\)' would replace @ with the entire
   match.
 
   For example:
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/vhdl-mode.el b/lisp/progmodes/vhdl-mode.el
index 6f486cf7582..9ee4ab520e1 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/vhdl-mode.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/vhdl-mode.el
@@ -376,8 +376,8 @@ Compiler:
   Make command     : command used for compilation using a Makefile
   Make options     : make options (\"\\1\" inserts Makefile name)
   Generate Makefile: use built-in function or command to generate a Makefile
-                     \(\"\\1\" inserts Makefile name, \"\\2\" inserts library name)
-  Library command  : command to create library directory \(\"\\1\" inserts
+                     (\"\\1\" inserts Makefile name, \"\\2\" inserts library name)
+  Library command  : command to create library directory (\"\\1\" inserts
                      library directory, \"\\2\" inserts library name)
   Compile directory: where compilation is run and the Makefile is placed
   Library directory: directory of default library
@@ -519,9 +519,9 @@ with other user Makefiles."
 Allows you to insert user specific parts into a Makefile.
 
 Example:
-  \(lambda nil
-    \(re-search-backward \"^# Rule for compiling entire design\")
-    \(insert \"# My target\\n\\n.MY_TARGET :\\n\\n\\n\"))"
+  (lambda nil
+    (re-search-backward \"^# Rule for compiling entire design\")
+    (insert \"# My target\\n\\n.MY_TARGET :\\n\\n\\n\"))"
   :type 'hook
   :group 'vhdl-compile)
 
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ Is overwritten by project settings if a project is active."
                         \"\\3\" project-specific options)
       - Do not compile: do not compile this file (in Makefile)
   Compile directory: where compilation is run and the Makefile is placed
-                     \(\"\\1\" inserts compiler ID string)
+                     (\"\\1\" inserts compiler ID string)
   Library name     : name of library (default is \"work\")
   Library directory: path to library (\"\\1\" inserts compiler ID string)
   Makefile name    : name of Makefile
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ if the header needs to be version controlled.
 The following keywords for template generation are supported:
   <filename>    : replaced by the name of the buffer
   <author>      : replaced by the user name and email address
-                  \(`user-full-name',`mail-host-address', `user-mail-address')
+                  (`user-full-name',`mail-host-address', `user-mail-address')
   <authorfull>  : replaced by the user full name (`user-full-name')
   <login>       : replaced by user login name (`user-login-name')
   <company>     : replaced by contents of option `vhdl-company-name'
@@ -4323,7 +4323,7 @@ Usage:
   TEMPLATE INSERTION (electrification):
     After typing a VHDL keyword and entering `SPC', you are prompted for
     arguments while a template is generated for that VHDL construct.  Typing
-    `RET' or `C-g' at the first \(mandatory) prompt aborts the current
+    `RET' or `C-g' at the first (mandatory) prompt aborts the current
     template generation.  Optional arguments are indicated by square
     brackets and removed if the queried string is left empty.  Prompts for
     mandatory arguments remain in the code if the queried string is left
@@ -4342,7 +4342,7 @@ Usage:
     conf, comp, cons, func, inst, pack, sig, var.
 
       Template styles can be customized in customization group
-    `vhdl-template' \(see OPTIONS).
+    `vhdl-template' (see OPTIONS).
 
 
   HEADER INSERTION:
@@ -4373,7 +4373,7 @@ Usage:
       Typing `TAB' after `(' looks for and inserts complete parenthesized
     expressions (e.g. for array index ranges).  All keywords as well as
     standard types and subprograms of VHDL have predefined abbreviations
-    \(e.g. type \"std\" and `TAB' will toggle through all standard types
+    (e.g., type \"std\" and `TAB' will toggle through all standard types
     beginning with \"std\").
 
       Typing `TAB' after a non-word character indents the line if at the
@@ -4417,7 +4417,7 @@ Usage:
     the entire region.
 
       Indentation can be done for a group of lines (`C-c C-i C-g'), a region
-    \(`M-C-\\') or the entire buffer (menu).  Argument and port lists are
+    (`M-C-\\') or the entire buffer (menu).  Argument and port lists are
     indented normally (nil) or relative to the opening parenthesis (non-nil)
     according to option `vhdl-argument-list-indent'.
 
@@ -4563,7 +4563,7 @@ Usage:
     Enables simple structural composition.  `C-c C-m C-n' creates a skeleton
     for a new component.  Subcomponents (i.e. component declaration and
     instantiation) can be automatically placed from a previously read port
-    \(`C-c C-m C-p') or directly from the hierarchy browser (`P').  Finally,
+    (`C-c C-m C-p') or directly from the hierarchy browser (`P').  Finally,
     all subcomponents can be automatically connected using internal signals
     and ports (`C-c C-m C-w') following these rules:
       - subcomponent actual ports with same name are considered to be
@@ -4763,7 +4763,7 @@ Usage:
           Insert them once manually (will be kept afterwards).
         - Out parameters of procedures are considered to be read.
       Use option `vhdl-entity-file-name' to specify the entity file name
-      \(used to obtain the port names).
+      (used to obtain the port names).
       Use option `vhdl-array-index-record-field-in-sensitivity-list' to
       specify whether to include array indices and record fields in
       sensitivity lists.
@@ -4771,12 +4771,12 @@ Usage:
 
   CODE FIXING:
     `C-c C-x C-p' fixes the closing parenthesis of a generic/port clause
-    \(e.g. if the closing parenthesis is on the wrong line or is missing).
+    (e.g., if the closing parenthesis is on the wrong line or is missing).
 
 
   PRINTING:
     PostScript printing with different faces (an optimized set of faces is
-    used if `vhdl-print-customize-faces' is non-nil) or colors \(if
+    used if `vhdl-print-customize-faces' is non-nil) or colors (if
     `ps-print-color-p' is non-nil) is possible using the standard Emacs
     PostScript printing commands.  Option `vhdl-print-two-column' defines
     appropriate default settings for nice landscape two-column printing.
@@ -4808,7 +4808,7 @@ Usage:
     automatically recognized as VHDL source files.  To add an extension
     \".xxx\", add the following line to your Emacs start-up file (`.emacs'):
 
-      \(push \\='(\"\\\\.xxx\\\\\\='\" . vhdl-mode) auto-mode-alist)
+      (push \\='(\"\\\\.xxx\\\\\\='\" . vhdl-mode) auto-mode-alist)
 
 
   HINTS:
@@ -4895,7 +4895,7 @@ Key bindings:
            (syntax-propertize-rules
             ;; Mark single quotes as having string quote syntax in
             ;; 'c' instances.
-            ("\\(\'\\).\\(\'\\)" (1 "\"'") (2 "\"'"))))
+            ("\\('\\).\\('\\)" (1 "\"'") (2 "\"'"))))
     (set (make-local-variable 'font-lock-syntactic-keywords)
          vhdl-font-lock-syntactic-keywords))
   (unless vhdl-emacs-21
@@ -6707,7 +6707,7 @@ search, and an argument indicating an interactive call."
   (re-search-forward vhdl-e-o-s-re))
 
 (defconst vhdl-b-o-s-re
-  (concat ";[^_]\\|\([^_]\\|\)[^_]\\|\\bwhen\\b[^_]\\|"
+  (concat ";[^_]\\|([^_]\\|)[^_]\\|\\bwhen\\b[^_]\\|"
 	  vhdl-begin-bwd-re "\\|" vhdl-statement-bwd-re))
 
 (defun vhdl-beginning-of-statement-1 (&optional lim)
@@ -8061,25 +8061,25 @@ end of line, do nothing in comments and strings."
     (setq end (point-marker))
     ;; have no space before and one space after `,' and ';'
     (goto-char beg)
-    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|\'.\'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\)\\|\\(\\s-*\\([,;]\\)\\)" end t)
+    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|'.'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\)\\|\\(\\s-*\\([,;]\\)\\)" end t)
       (if (match-string 1)
 	  (goto-char (match-end 1))
 	(replace-match "\\3 " nil nil nil 2)))
     ;; have no space after `('
     (goto-char beg)
-    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|\'.\'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\)\\|\\((\\)\\s-+" end t)
+    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|'.'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\)\\|\\((\\)\\s-+" end t)
       (if (match-string 1)
 	  (goto-char (match-end 1))
 	(replace-match "\\2")))
     ;; have no space before `)'
     (goto-char beg)
-    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|\'.\'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\|^\\s-+\\)\\|\\s-+\\()\\)" end t)
+    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|'.'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\|^\\s-+\\)\\|\\s-+\\()\\)" end t)
       (if (match-string 1)
 	  (goto-char (match-end 1))
 	(replace-match "\\2")))
     ;; surround operator symbols by one space
     (goto-char beg)
-    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|\'.\'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\)\\|\\(\\([^/:<>=\n]\\)\\(:\\|\\??=\\|\\??<<\\|\\??>>\\|\\??<\\|\\??>\\|:=\\|\\??<=\\|\\??>=\\|=>\\|\\??/=\\|\\?\\?\\)\\([^=>\n]\\|$\\)\\)" end t)
+    (while (re-search-forward "\\(--.*\n\\|\"[^\"\n]*[\"\n]\\|'.'\\|\\\\[^\\\n]*[\\\n]\\)\\|\\(\\([^/:<>=\n]\\)\\(:\\|\\??=\\|\\??<<\\|\\??>>\\|\\??<\\|\\??>\\|:=\\|\\??<=\\|\\??>=\\|=>\\|\\??/=\\|\\?\\?\\)\\([^=>\n]\\|$\\)\\)" end t)
       (if (or (match-string 1)
 	      (<= (match-beginning 0)  ; not if at boi
 		 (save-excursion (back-to-indentation) (point))))
@@ -11858,7 +11858,7 @@ reflected in a subsequent paste operation."
 		  (save-excursion
 		    (re-search-backward
 		     (concat "^\\s-*use\\s-+" (car clause)
-			     "\." (cdr clause) "\\>") nil t)))
+			     "." (cdr clause) "\\>") nil t)))
 	(vhdl-template-standard-package (car clause) (cdr clause))
 	(insert "\n"))
       (setq clause-list (cdr clause-list)))))
@@ -12113,7 +12113,7 @@ reflected in a subsequent paste operation."
 	       (insert name))
 	      ((equal (cdr vhdl-instance-name) "")
 	       (setq name (vhdl-template-field "instance name")))
-	      ((string-match "\%d" (cdr vhdl-instance-name))
+	      ((string-match "%d" (cdr vhdl-instance-name))
 	       (let ((n 1))
 		 (while (save-excursion
 			  (setq name (format (vhdl-replace-string
@@ -12978,7 +12978,7 @@ File statistics: \"%s\"\n\
 # empty lines   : %5d\n\
 # comment lines : %5d\n\
 # comments      : %5d\n\
-# total lines   : %5d\n\ "
+# total lines   : %5d\n"
 	     (buffer-file-name) no-stats no-code-lines no-empty-lines
 	     no-comm-lines no-comments no-lines)
     (unless vhdl-emacs-21 (vhdl-show-messages))))
@@ -13121,7 +13121,7 @@ File statistics: \"%s\"\n\
 		     (vhdl-resolve-env-variable
 		      (vhdl-replace-string
 		       (cons "\\(.*\\) \\(.*\\)" (car file-name-list))
-		       (concat "\*" " " (user-login-name)))))))
+		       (concat "* " (user-login-name)))))))
       (setq list-length (or list-length (length file-list)))
       (setq file-name-list (cdr file-name-list)))
     (while file-list
@@ -13306,7 +13306,7 @@ File statistics: \"%s\"\n\
 ;; Syntax definitions
 
 (defconst vhdl-font-lock-syntactic-keywords
-  '(("\\(\'\\).\\(\'\\)" (1 (7 . ?\')) (2 (7 . ?\'))))
+  '(("\\('\\).\\('\\)" (1 (7 . ?\')) (2 (7 . ?\'))))
   "Mark single quotes as having string quote syntax in 'c' instances.")
 
 (defvar vhdl-font-lock-keywords nil
@@ -15461,19 +15461,19 @@ NO-POSITION non-nil means do not re-position cursor."
 	  (let* ((file-entry (vhdl-aget file-alist
 					speedbar-last-selected-file)))
 	    (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
-	     "\\[.\\] " (nth 0 file-entry)
+	     "\\[.] " (nth 0 file-entry)
 	     speedbar-last-selected-file 'vhdl-speedbar-entity-face)
 	    (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
 	     "{.} " (nth 1 file-entry)
 	     speedbar-last-selected-file 'vhdl-speedbar-architecture-face)
 	    (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
-	     "\\[.\\] " (nth 3 file-entry)
+	     "\\[.] " (nth 3 file-entry)
 	     speedbar-last-selected-file 'vhdl-speedbar-configuration-face)
 	    (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
 	     "[]>] " (nth 4 file-entry)
 	     speedbar-last-selected-file 'vhdl-speedbar-package-face)
 	    (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
-	     "\\[.\\].+(" '("body")
+	     "\\[.].+(" '("body")
 	     speedbar-last-selected-file 'vhdl-speedbar-package-face)
 	    (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
 	     "> " (nth 6 file-entry)
@@ -15482,19 +15482,19 @@ NO-POSITION non-nil means do not re-position cursor."
 	  (let* ((file-entry (vhdl-aget file-alist file-name)))
 	    (setq
 	     pos (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
-		  "\\[.\\] " (nth 0 file-entry)
+		  "\\[.] " (nth 0 file-entry)
 		  file-name 'vhdl-speedbar-entity-selected-face pos)
 	     pos (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
 		  "{.} " (nth 1 file-entry)
 		  file-name 'vhdl-speedbar-architecture-selected-face pos)
 	     pos (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
-		  "\\[.\\] " (nth 3 file-entry)
+		  "\\[.] " (nth 3 file-entry)
 		  file-name 'vhdl-speedbar-configuration-selected-face pos)
 	     pos (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
 		  "[]>] " (nth 4 file-entry)
 		  file-name 'vhdl-speedbar-package-selected-face pos)
 	     pos (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
-		  "\\[.\\].+(" '("body")
+		  "\\[.].+(" '("body")
 		  file-name 'vhdl-speedbar-package-selected-face pos)
 	     pos (vhdl-speedbar-update-units
 		  "> " (nth 6 file-entry)
@@ -15926,7 +15926,7 @@ is already shown in a buffer."
     (if (not (or is-entity (vhdl-speedbar-check-unit 'subprogram)))
 	(error "ERROR:  No entity/component or subprogram under cursor")
       (beginning-of-line)
-      (if (looking-at "\\([0-9]\\)+:\\s-*\\(\\[[-+?]\\]\\|>\\) \\(\\(\\w\\|\\s_\\)+\\)")
+      (if (looking-at "\\([0-9]\\)+:\\s-*\\(\\[[-+?]]\\|>\\) \\(\\(\\w\\|\\s_\\)+\\)")
 	  (condition-case info
 	      (let ((token (get-text-property
 			    (match-beginning 3) 'speedbar-token)))
@@ -17864,17 +17864,17 @@ NOTE: click `mouse-2' on variable names above (not in XEmacs).")
 For VHDL coding style and naming convention guidelines, see the following
 references:
 
-\[1] Ben Cohen.
+[1] Ben Cohen.
     \"VHDL Coding Styles and Methodologies\".
     Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1999.
     http://members.aol.com/vhdlcohen/vhdl/
 
-\[2] Michael Keating and Pierre Bricaud.
+[2] Michael Keating and Pierre Bricaud.
     \"Reuse Methodology Manual, Second Edition\".
     Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1999.
     http://www.openmore.com/openmore/rmm2.html
 
-\[3] European Space Agency.
+[3] European Space Agency.
     \"VHDL Modelling Guidelines\".
     ftp://ftp.estec.esa.nl/pub/vhdl/doc/ModelGuide.{pdf,ps}
 
diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/xscheme.el b/lisp/progmodes/xscheme.el
index d5243dac769..cf61073b442 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/xscheme.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/xscheme.el
@@ -347,9 +347,9 @@ the command interpreter stack:
 
 Some possible command interpreter types and their meanings are:
 
-\[Evaluator]	read-eval-print loop for evaluating expressions
-\[Debugger]	single character commands for debugging errors
-\[Where]		single character commands for examining environments
+[Evaluator]	read-eval-print loop for evaluating expressions
+[Debugger]	single character commands for debugging errors
+[Where]		single character commands for examining environments
 
 Starting with release 6.2 of Scheme, the latter two types of command
 interpreters will change the major mode of the Scheme process buffer