tests: change `...' to '...' on lines not matching /[=\$]/

Exempt lines with '$' or '=', since those are prone to improper
conversion.  Run this:
  git grep -l "\`[^']*'" tests \
   |xargs perl -pi -e '/[=\$]/ and next;s/\`([^'\''"]*?'\'')/'\''$1/g'

155 files changed, 371 insertions, 371 deletions

diff --git a/tests/Coreutils.pm b/tests/Coreutils.pm
index 81937c403..7f4a0372c 100644
--- a/tests/Coreutils.pm
+++ b/tests/Coreutils.pm
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ defined $ENV{DJDIR}
 # {filename => 'contents'} filename and contents
 # {filename => undef}      filename only -- $(srcdir)/filename must exist
 #
-# FIXME: If there is more than one input file, then you can't specify `REDIR'.
+# FIXME: If there is more than one input file, then you can't specify 'REDIR'.
 # PIPE is still ok.
 #
 # I/O spec: a hash ref with the following properties
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ defined $ENV{DJDIR}
 # {OUT => {'filename'=>undef}} compare contents of existing filename to
 #           stdout from cmd
 # {OUT => {'filename'=>[$CTOR, $DTOR]}} $CTOR and $DTOR are references to
-#           functions, each which is passed the single argument `filename'.
+#           functions, each which is passed the single argument 'filename'.
 #           $CTOR must create `filename'.
-#           DTOR may be omitted in which case `sub{unlink @_[0]}' is used.
+#           DTOR may be omitted in which case 'sub{unlink @_[0]}' is used.
 #           FIXME: implement this
 # {ERR => ...}
 #           Same as for OUT, but compare with stderr, not stdout.
@@ -213,10 +213,10 @@ sub getlimits()
 }
 
 # FIXME: cleanup on interrupt
-# FIXME: extract `do_1_test' function
+# FIXME: extract 'do_1_test' function
 
 # FIXME: having to include $program_name here is an expedient kludge.
-# Library code doesn't `die'.
+# Library code doesn't 'die'.
 sub run_tests ($$$$$)
 {
   my ($program_name, $prog, $t_spec, $save_temps, $verbose) = @_;
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 894fcf8a2..8b670fc40 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ check-root:
 
 check-recursive: root-hint
 
-# Advertise `check-root' target.
+# Advertise 'check-root' target.
 .PHONY: root-hint
 root-hint:
 	@echo '***********************************************************'
diff --git a/tests/chgrp/basic b/tests/chgrp/basic
index 4279d65a2..0cf0bca84 100755
--- a/tests/chgrp/basic
+++ b/tests/chgrp/basic
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ chown --from=:$g1 :$g2 f; test `stat --printf=%g f` = $g2 || fail=1
 
 # This *should* change the group of f.
 # Though note that the diagnostic is misleading in that
-# it says the `group of `symlink'' has been changed.
+# it says the 'group of `symlink'' has been changed.
 chgrp $g1 symlink; test `stat --printf=%g f` = $g1 || fail=1
 chown --from=:$g1 :$g2 f; test `stat --printf=%g f` = $g2 || fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/chgrp/deref b/tests/chgrp/deref
index ab5db8d74..cf1ddd869 100755
--- a/tests/chgrp/deref
+++ b/tests/chgrp/deref
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ set _ `ls -ln f`; g=$5; test "$g" = $g2 || fail=1
 
 # This *should* change the group of f.
 # Though note that the diagnostic you'd get with -c is misleading in that
-# it says the `group of `symlink'' has been changed.
+# it says the 'group of `symlink'' has been changed.
 chgrp --dereference $g1 symlink
 set _ `ls -ln f`; g=$5; test "$g" = $g1 || fail=1
 set _ `ls -ln symlink`; g=$5; test "$g" = $g2 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/chgrp/no-x b/tests/chgrp/no-x
index 200fa3221..c6688c623 100755
--- a/tests/chgrp/no-x
+++ b/tests/chgrp/no-x
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ prog=chgrp
 # NOTE: this code is the same for all tests/*/no-x tests.
 # Depending on whether fts is using native fdopendir, we see one
 # of the following diagnostics (note also the /y suffix in one case):
-#   prog: `d/no-x': Permission denied
-#   prog: cannot access `d/no-x/y': Permission denied
-#   prog: cannot read directory `d/no-x': Permission denied
+#   prog: 'd/no-x': Permission denied
+#   prog: cannot access 'd/no-x/y': Permission denied
+#   prog: cannot read directory 'd/no-x': Permission denied
 # Convert either of the latter two to the first one.
 sed "s/^$prog: cannot access /$prog: /" out > t && mv t out
 sed "s/^$prog: cannot read directory /$prog: /" out > t && mv t out
diff --git a/tests/chgrp/posix-H b/tests/chgrp/posix-H
index b2723b68a..a6474f562 100755
--- a/tests/chgrp/posix-H
+++ b/tests/chgrp/posix-H
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ changed='
 3
 '
 for i in $changed; do
-  # Filter out symlinks (entries that end in `s'), since it's not
+  # Filter out symlinks (entries that end in 's'), since it's not
   # possible to change their group/owner information on some systems.
   case $i in *s) continue;; esac
   set _ `ls -dgn $i`; shift
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ not_changed='
 3/3F
 '
 for i in $not_changed; do
-  # Filter out symlinks (entries that end in `s'), since it's not
+  # Filter out symlinks (entries that end in 's'), since it's not
   # possible to change their group/owner information on some systems.
   case $i in *s) continue;; esac
   set _ `ls -dgn $i`; shift
diff --git a/tests/chmod/no-x b/tests/chmod/no-x
index 3a68eeaa9..cc0d14268 100755
--- a/tests/chmod/no-x
+++ b/tests/chmod/no-x
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ prog=chmod
 # NOTE: this code is the same for all tests/*/no-x tests.
 # Depending on whether fts is using native fdopendir, we see one
 # of the following diagnostics (note also the /y suffix in one case):
-#   prog: `d/no-x': Permission denied
-#   prog: cannot access `d/no-x/y': Permission denied
-#   prog: cannot read directory `d/no-x': Permission denied
+#   prog: 'd/no-x': Permission denied
+#   prog: cannot access 'd/no-x/y': Permission denied
+#   prog: cannot read directory 'd/no-x': Permission denied
 # Convert either of the latter two to the first one.
 sed "s/^$prog: cannot access /$prog: /" out > t && mv t out
 sed "s/^$prog: cannot read directory /$prog: /" out > t && mv t out
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ EOF
 compare exp out || fail=1
 
 cd a
-# This will fail with ``chmod: fts_read failed: Permission denied''
+# This will fail with '`chmod: fts_read failed: Permission denied''
 chmod a-x . b 2> /dev/null && fail=1
 # chmod must exit with status 1.
 # Due to a bug in coreutils-5.93's fts.c, chmod would provoke
diff --git a/tests/chmod/octal b/tests/chmod/octal
index 3e6c02a61..845116b26 100755
--- a/tests/chmod/octal
+++ b/tests/chmod/octal
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ print_ver_ chmod
 
 
 # Before coreutils-5.92, this would mistakenly succeed,
-# and act like `chmod 0 .'.
+# and act like 'chmod 0 .'.
 chmod 0-followed-by-anything . 2> /dev/null && fail=1
 chmod 7-followed-by-anything . 2> /dev/null && fail=1
 chmod 8                      . 2> /dev/null && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/chown/deref b/tests/chown/deref
index 2d1992c34..aeaf8ee76 100755
--- a/tests/chown/deref
+++ b/tests/chown/deref
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ chown --dereference $user dangle 2> out1 && fail=1
 sed 's/: [^:]*$//' out1 > out
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-chown: cannot dereference `dangle'
+chown: cannot dereference 'dangle'
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/chown/preserve-root b/tests/chown/preserve-root
index 69d92d4aa..a9145b7ab 100755
--- a/tests/chown/preserve-root
+++ b/tests/chown/preserve-root
@@ -47,17 +47,17 @@ chown -RLh --preserve-root `id -u` d >> out 2>&1 && fail=1
 chgrp -RLh --preserve-root `id -g` d >> out 2>&1 && fail=1
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-chown: it is dangerous to operate recursively on `/'
+chown: it is dangerous to operate recursively on '/'
 chown: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe
-chgrp: it is dangerous to operate recursively on `/'
+chgrp: it is dangerous to operate recursively on '/'
 chgrp: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe
-chmod: it is dangerous to operate recursively on `/'
+chmod: it is dangerous to operate recursively on '/'
 chmod: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe
 ==== test -RHh
 ==== test -RLh
-chown: it is dangerous to operate recursively on `d/slink-to-root' (same as `/')
+chown: it is dangerous to operate recursively on 'd/slink-to-root' (same as '/')
 chown: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe
-chgrp: it is dangerous to operate recursively on `d/slink-to-root' (same as `/')
+chgrp: it is dangerous to operate recursively on 'd/slink-to-root' (same as '/')
 chgrp: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe
 EOF
 
diff --git a/tests/cp/backup-is-src b/tests/cp/backup-is-src
index fc8dbf3c4..9fa7ec6e2 100755
--- a/tests/cp/backup-is-src
+++ b/tests/cp/backup-is-src
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ cp --b=simple a~ a > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 sed "s,cp:,XXX:," out > out2
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-XXX: backing up `a' would destroy source;  `a~' not copied
+XXX: backing up 'a' would destroy source;  'a~' not copied
 EOF
 
 compare exp out2 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux b/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux
index be8465645..11758170d 100755
--- a/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux
+++ b/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ grep "Operation not supported" err && fail=1
 # to the file type.
 # Note: this test could also be run by a regular (non-root) user in an
 # NFS mounted directory.  When doing that, I get this diagnostic:
-# cp: failed to set the security context of `g' to `system_u:object_r:nfs_t': \
+# cp: failed to set the security context of 'g' to 'system_u:object_r:nfs_t': \
 #   Operation not supported
 cat <<\EOF > exp || framework_failure_
 cp: failed to set the security context of
diff --git a/tests/cp/cp-deref b/tests/cp/cp-deref
index 290ee4092..08a1485f9 100755
--- a/tests/cp/cp-deref
+++ b/tests/cp/cp-deref
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ ln -s ../c b || framework_failure_
 
 
 # Before coreutils-5.94, the following would fail with this message:
-# cp: will not create hard link `d/b/c' to directory `d/a/c'
+# cp: will not create hard link 'd/b/c' to directory 'd/a/c'
 cp -RL a b d || fail=1
 test -d a/c || fail=1
 test -d b/c || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/cp/cp-mv-backup b/tests/cp/cp-mv-backup
index 5a122294e..66cc74bf1 100755
--- a/tests/cp/cp-mv-backup
+++ b/tests/cp/cp-mv-backup
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ print_ver_ cp
 umask 022
 
 # Be careful to close $actual before removing the containing directory.
-# Use `1>&2' rather than `1<&-' since the latter appears not to work
+# Use '1>&2' rather than '1<&-' since the latter appears not to work
 # with /bin/sh from powerpc-ibm-aix4.2.0.0.
 
 actual=actual
diff --git a/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr b/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr
index d9b373ff2..76ede2e3e 100755
--- a/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr
+++ b/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ rm -f err noxattr/a
 cp -a --preserve=xattr xattr/a noxattr/ 2>err && fail=1
 if grep '^#define USE_XATTR 1' $CONFIG_HEADER > /dev/null; then
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-cp: setting attributes for `noxattr/a': Operation not supported
+cp: setting attributes for 'noxattr/a': Operation not supported
 EOF
 else
 cat <<\EOF > exp
diff --git a/tests/cp/fail-perm b/tests/cp/fail-perm
index c7c89942f..2b6133cd0 100755
--- a/tests/cp/fail-perm
+++ b/tests/cp/fail-perm
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ chmod u=rx,go=,-st D || framework_failure_
 # This is expected to exit non-zero, because it can't read D/a.
 cp -pR D DD > /dev/null 2>&1 && fail=1
 
-# Permissions on DD must be `dr-x------'
+# Permissions on DD must be 'dr-x------'
 
 mode=`ls -ld DD|cut -b-10`
 test "$mode" = dr-x------ || fail=1
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ chmod 0 D
 ln -s D/D symlink
 touch F
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-cp: accessing `symlink': Permission denied
+cp: accessing 'symlink': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 cp F symlink 2> out && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/cp/fiemap-empty b/tests/cp/fiemap-empty
index 878831d2e..951d8e062 100755
--- a/tests/cp/fiemap-empty
+++ b/tests/cp/fiemap-empty
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ fallocate -l 600MiB space.test ||
 
 # Disable this test on old BTRFS (e.g. Fedora 14)
 # which reports ordinary extents for unwritten ones.
-filefrag space.test || skip_ 'the `filefrag` utility is missing'
+filefrag space.test || skip_ 'the 'filefrag` utility is missing'
 filefrag -v space.test | grep -F 'unwritten' > /dev/null ||
   skip_ 'this file system does not report empty extents as "unwritten"'
 
diff --git a/tests/cp/fiemap-perf b/tests/cp/fiemap-perf
index 33bb818d2..3addfe1b2 100755
--- a/tests/cp/fiemap-perf
+++ b/tests/cp/fiemap-perf
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ timeout 10 truncate -s1T f || framework_failure_
 
 # Disable this test on old BTRFS (e.g. Fedora 14)
 # which reports (unwritten) extents for holes.
-filefrag f || skip_ 'the `filefrag` utility is missing'
+filefrag f || skip_ 'the 'filefrag` utility is missing'
 filefrag f | grep -F ': 0 extents found' > /dev/null ||
   skip_ 'this file system reports extents for holes'
 
diff --git a/tests/cp/into-self b/tests/cp/into-self
index 792e659f8..67cec7f95 100755
--- a/tests/cp/into-self
+++ b/tests/cp/into-self
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-# In 4.0.35 and earlier, `mkdir dir && cp -R dir dir' would produce this:
-#   cp: won't create hard link `dir/dir/dir' to directory `'
+# In 4.0.35 and earlier, 'mkdir dir && cp -R dir dir' would produce this:
+#   cp: won't create hard link 'dir/dir/dir' to directory ''
 # Now it gives this:
-#   cp: can't copy a directory `dir' into itself `dir/dir'
+#   cp: can't copy a directory 'dir' into itself 'dir/dir'
 
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
 print_ver_ cp
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ cp -rl a dir dir 2>> out && fail=1
 echo 4 >> out
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-cp: cannot copy a directory, `dir', into itself, `dir/dir'
+cp: cannot copy a directory, 'dir', into itself, 'dir/dir'
 1
-cp: cannot copy a directory, `dir', into itself, `dir/dir'
+cp: cannot copy a directory, 'dir', into itself, 'dir/dir'
 2
-cp: cannot copy a directory, `dir', into itself, `dir/dir'
+cp: cannot copy a directory, 'dir', into itself, 'dir/dir'
 3
-cp: cannot copy a directory, `dir', into itself, `dir/dir'
+cp: cannot copy a directory, 'dir', into itself, 'dir/dir'
 4
 EOF
 #'
diff --git a/tests/cp/link-preserve b/tests/cp/link-preserve
index 5b84f3ca8..243cf3721 100755
--- a/tests/cp/link-preserve
+++ b/tests/cp/link-preserve
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# ensure that `cp -d' preserves hard-links between command line arguments
+# ensure that 'cp -d' preserves hard-links between command line arguments
 # ensure that --preserve=links works with -RH and -RL
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001-2002, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/cp/no-deref-link1 b/tests/cp/no-deref-link1
index 100bf3c17..677c284cf 100755
--- a/tests/cp/no-deref-link1
+++ b/tests/cp/no-deref-link1
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ cd ..
 
 
 # It should fail with a message something like this:
-#   ./cp: `a/foo' and `b/foo' are the same file
+#   ./cp: 'a/foo' and 'b/foo' are the same file
 cp -d a/foo b 2>/dev/null
 
 # Fail this test if the exit status is not 1
diff --git a/tests/cp/no-deref-link2 b/tests/cp/no-deref-link2
index df2c70fc1..33fc43187 100755
--- a/tests/cp/no-deref-link2
+++ b/tests/cp/no-deref-link2
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ cd ..
 
 
 # It should fail with a message something like this:
-#   cp: `a' and `b/foo' are the same file
+#   cp: 'a' and 'b/foo' are the same file
 cp -d a b 2>/dev/null
 
 # Fail this test if the exit status is not 1
diff --git a/tests/cp/no-deref-link3 b/tests/cp/no-deref-link3
index 052be6dd1..6ea56349d 100755
--- a/tests/cp/no-deref-link3
+++ b/tests/cp/no-deref-link3
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ ln -s a b
 
 
 # It should fail with a message something like this:
-#   cp: `a' and `b' are the same file
+#   cp: 'a' and 'b' are the same file
 cp -d a b 2>/dev/null
 
 # Fail this test if the exit status is not 1
diff --git a/tests/cp/perm b/tests/cp/perm
index 2dd3ae571..7a03400b0 100755
--- a/tests/cp/perm
+++ b/tests/cp/perm
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ very_expensive_
 umask 037
 
 
-# Now, try it with `mv', with combinations of --force, no-f and
+# Now, try it with 'mv', with combinations of --force, no-f and
 # existing-destination and not.
 for u in 31 37 2; do
   echo umask: $u
diff --git a/tests/cp/r-vs-symlink b/tests/cp/r-vs-symlink
index 13c58f64f..36bf3a5c3 100755
--- a/tests/cp/r-vs-symlink
+++ b/tests/cp/r-vs-symlink
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 # Restored old behavior (whereby cp -r preserves symlinks) in 4.1.6,
 # though now such usage evokes a warning:
-# cp: `slink': WARNING: using -r to copy symbolic links is not portable
+# cp: 'slink': WARNING: using -r to copy symbolic links is not portable
 
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
 print_ver_ cp
diff --git a/tests/cp/same-file b/tests/cp/same-file
index dad7068ff..440f342e3 100755
--- a/tests/cp/same-file
+++ b/tests/cp/same-file
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
 print_ver_ cp
 
-# Unset CDPATH.  Otherwise, output from the `cd dir' command
+# Unset CDPATH.  Otherwise, output from the 'cd dir' command
 # can make this test fail.
 (unset CDPATH) >/dev/null 2>&1 && unset CDPATH
 
@@ -128,16 +128,16 @@ for args in 'foo symlink' 'symlink foo' 'foo foo' 'sl1 sl2' 'foo hardlink'; do
 done
 
 cat <<\EOF | sed "$remove_these_sed" > expected
-1 [cp: `foo' and `symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -d [cp: `foo' and `symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -f [cp: `foo' and `symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -df [cp: `foo' and `symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 [cp: 'foo' and 'symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -d [cp: 'foo' and 'symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -f [cp: 'foo' and 'symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -df [cp: 'foo' and 'symlink' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 --rem (foo symlink)
 0 -b (foo symlink symlink.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bd (foo symlink symlink.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bf (foo symlink symlink.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bdf (foo symlink symlink.~1~ -> foo)
-1 -l [cp: cannot create hard link `symlink' to `foo'] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -l [cp: cannot create hard link 'symlink' to 'foo'] (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 -dl (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 -fl (foo symlink)
 0 -dfl (foo symlink)
@@ -146,14 +146,14 @@ cat <<\EOF | sed "$remove_these_sed" > expected
 0 -bfl (foo symlink symlink.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bdfl (foo symlink symlink.~1~ -> foo)
 
-1 [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -d [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -f [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -df [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 --rem [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
-1 -b [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -d [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -f [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -df [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 --rem [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -b [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 -bd (foo -> foo foo.~1~ symlink -> foo) symlink-loop symlink-loop
-1 -bf [cp: `symlink' and `foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
+1 -bf [cp: 'symlink' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 -bdf (foo -> foo foo.~1~ symlink -> foo) symlink-loop symlink-loop
 0 -l (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 -dl (foo symlink -> foo)
@@ -161,13 +161,13 @@ cat <<\EOF | sed "$remove_these_sed" > expected
 0 -bl (foo symlink -> foo)
 0 -bfl (foo symlink -> foo)
 
-1 [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
-1 -d [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
-1 -f [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
-1 -df [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
-1 --rem [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
-1 -b [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
-1 -bd [cp: `foo' and `foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 -d [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 -f [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 -df [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 --rem [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 -b [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
+1 -bd [cp: 'foo' and 'foo' are the same file] (foo)
 0 -bf (foo foo.~1~)
 0 -bdf (foo foo.~1~)
 0 -l (foo)
@@ -179,24 +179,24 @@ cat <<\EOF | sed "$remove_these_sed" > expected
 0 -bfl (foo foo.~1~)
 0 -bdfl (foo foo.~1~)
 
-1 [cp: `sl1' and `sl2' are the same file] (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
+1 [cp: 'sl1' and 'sl2' are the same file] (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
 0 -d (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
-1 -f [cp: `sl1' and `sl2' are the same file] (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
+1 -f [cp: 'sl1' and 'sl2' are the same file] (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
 0 -df (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
 0 --rem (foo sl1 -> foo sl2)
 0 -b (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 sl2.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bd (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo sl2.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bf (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 sl2.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bdf (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo sl2.~1~ -> foo)
-1 -l [cp: cannot create hard link `sl2' to `sl1'] (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
+1 -l [cp: cannot create hard link 'sl2' to 'sl1'] (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
 0 -fl (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo)
 0 -bl (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo sl2.~1~ -> foo)
 0 -bfl (foo sl1 -> foo sl2 -> foo sl2.~1~ -> foo)
 
-1 [cp: `foo' and `hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
-1 -d [cp: `foo' and `hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
-1 -f [cp: `foo' and `hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
-1 -df [cp: `foo' and `hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
+1 [cp: 'foo' and 'hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
+1 -d [cp: 'foo' and 'hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
+1 -f [cp: 'foo' and 'hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
+1 -df [cp: 'foo' and 'hardlink' are the same file] (foo hardlink)
 0 --rem (foo hardlink)
 0 -b (foo hardlink hardlink.~1~)
 0 -bd (foo hardlink hardlink.~1~)
diff --git a/tests/cp/slink-2-slink b/tests/cp/slink-2-slink
index 10207db74..8542db1bd 100755
--- a/tests/cp/slink-2-slink
+++ b/tests/cp/slink-2-slink
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# `test cp --update A B' where A and B are both symlinks that point
+# 'test cp --update A B' where A and B are both symlinks that point
 # to the same file
 
 # Copyright (C) 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/cp/special-bits b/tests/cp/special-bits
index c3de42612..362401156 100755
--- a/tests/cp/special-bits
+++ b/tests/cp/special-bits
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# make sure `cp -p' preserves special bits
+# make sure 'cp -p' preserves special bits
 # This works only when run as root.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2000-2002, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/cp/symlink-slash b/tests/cp/symlink-slash
index d90809574..eeaf97cdf 100755
--- a/tests/cp/symlink-slash
+++ b/tests/cp/symlink-slash
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ ln -s dir symlink || framework_failure_
 cp -dR symlink/ s || fail=1
 set `ls -l s`
 
-# Prior to fileutils-4.0q, the following would have output ...`s -> dir'
+# Prior to fileutils-4.0q, the following would have output ...'s -> dir'
 # because the trailing slash was removed unconditionally (now you have to
 # use the new --strip-trailing-slash option) causing cp to reproduce the
 # symlink.  Now, the trailing slash is interpreted by the stat library
diff --git a/tests/dd/misc b/tests/dd/misc
index beeae8cb0..f388969a4 100755
--- a/tests/dd/misc
+++ b/tests/dd/misc
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Ensure dd treats `--' properly.
+# Ensure dd treats '--' properly.
 # Also test some flag values.
 
 # Copyright (C) 1999, 2004-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/du/2g b/tests/du/2g
index 88cf86742..a901ddbe9 100755
--- a/tests/du/2g
+++ b/tests/du/2g
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
 print_ver_ du
 
-# Creating a 2GB file counts as `very expensive'.
+# Creating a 2GB file counts as 'very expensive'.
 very_expensive_
 
 
 # Get number of free kilobytes on current partition, so we can
 # skip this test if there is insufficient free space.
 
-# This technique relies on the fact that the `Available' kilobyte
-# count is the number just before the one with a trailing `%'.
+# This technique relies on the fact that the 'Available' kilobyte
+# count is the number just before the one with a trailing '%'.
 free_kb=`df -kP .|tail -1|sed 's/ [0-9][0-9]*%.*//;s/ *$//;s/.* //'`
 case "$free_kb" in
   [0-9]*) ;;
diff --git a/tests/du/8gb b/tests/du/8gb
index 3926a36ee..e8803783c 100755
--- a/tests/du/8gb
+++ b/tests/du/8gb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ fi
 
 # FIXME: this should be a test of dd.
 # On some systems (at least linux-2.4.18 + NFS to disks on a Solaris system)
-# the `dd' command above mistakenly creates a file of length `0', yet
+# the 'dd' command above mistakenly creates a file of length '0', yet
 # doesn't fail.  The root of that failure is that the ftruncate call
 # returns zero but doesn't do its job.  Detect this failure.
 set x `ls -gG big`
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Consider rerunning this test on a different file system."
 fi
 
 
-# This would print `0	big' with coreutils-4.5.8.
+# This would print '0	big' with coreutils-4.5.8.
 du -ab big > out || fail=1
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp
diff --git a/tests/du/deref b/tests/du/deref
index 3de6aa4a9..cfd84563b 100755
--- a/tests/du/deref
+++ b/tests/du/deref
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ ln -s nowhere dangle || framework_failure_
 
 
 # This used to fail with the following diagnostic:
-# du: `b': No such file or directory
+# du: 'b': No such file or directory
 du -sD slink b > /dev/null 2>&1 || fail=1
 
 # This used to fail to report the dangling symlink.
diff --git a/tests/du/files0-from b/tests/du/files0-from
index fb25c3f0f..c62c2a805 100755
--- a/tests/du/files0-from
+++ b/tests/du/files0-from
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ my @Tests =
    # input file name of '-'
    ['minus-in-stdin', '--files0-from=-', '<', {IN=>{f=>'-'}}, {EXIT=>1},
     {ERR => "$prog: when reading file names from stdin, no file name of"
-     . " `-' allowed\n"}],
+     . " '-' allowed\n"}],
 
    # empty input, regular file
    ['empty', '--files0-from=@AUX@', {AUX=>''}],
diff --git a/tests/du/inacc-dest b/tests/du/inacc-dest
index 61e01d8a2..c9c709759 100755
--- a/tests/du/inacc-dest
+++ b/tests/du/inacc-dest
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 ./c
 ./d
 ./e
-du: cannot read directory `./c': Permission denied
+du: cannot read directory './c': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 # Map a diagnostic like this
-#   du: cannot access `./c/j': Permission denied
+#   du: cannot access './c/j': Permission denied
 # to this:
-#   du: cannot access `./c': Permission denied
+#   du: cannot access './c': Permission denied
 # And accept "cannot read directory" in place of "cannot access"
 sed "s,/c/j': ,/c': ," out > t && mv t out
 sed 's,cannot access,cannot read directory,' out > t && mv t out
diff --git a/tests/du/long-from-unreadable b/tests/du/long-from-unreadable
index c661bc1c3..10864e00e 100755
--- a/tests/du/long-from-unreadable
+++ b/tests/du/long-from-unreadable
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@
 
 # Show that fts (hence du, chmod, chgrp, chown) fails when all of the
 # following are true:
-#   - `.' is not readable
+#   - '.' is not readable
 #   - operating on a hierarchy containing a relative name longer than PATH_MAX
 #   - run on a system where gnulib's openat emulation must resort to using
-#       save_cwd and restore_cwd (which fail if `.' is not readable).
+#       save_cwd and restore_cwd (which fail if '.' is not readable).
 # Thus, the following du invocation should succeed on newer Linux and
 # Solaris systems, yet it must fail on systems lacking both openat and
 # /proc support.  However, before coreutils-6.0 this test would fail even
diff --git a/tests/du/long-sloop b/tests/du/long-sloop
index b5b11f256..78926d38f 100755
--- a/tests/du/long-sloop
+++ b/tests/du/long-sloop
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ echo foo > $i
 # If a system can handle this many symlinks in a file name,
 # just skip this test.
 
-# The following also serves to record in `err' the string
+# The following also serves to record in 'err' the string
 # corresponding to strerror (ELOOP).  This is necessary because while
-# Linux/libc gives `Too many levels of symbolic links', Solaris
+# Linux/libc gives 'Too many levels of symbolic links', Solaris
 # renders it as `Number of symbolic links encountered during path
 # name traversal exceeds MAXSYMLINKS'.
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ too_many=`sed 's/.*: //' err`
 
 # With coreutils-5.93 there was no failure.
 # With coreutils-5.94 we get the desired diagnostic:
-# du: cannot access `1/s/s/s/.../s': Too many levels of symbolic links
+# du: cannot access '1/s/s/s/.../s': Too many levels of symbolic links
 du -L 1 > /dev/null 2> out1 && fail=1
 sed "s, .1/s/s/s/[/s]*',," out1 > out || fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/du/no-x b/tests/du/no-x
index 9ba70770d..53084e1ca 100755
--- a/tests/du/no-x
+++ b/tests/du/no-x
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ prog=du
 # NOTE: this code is the same for all tests/*/no-x tests.
 # Depending on whether fts is using native fdopendir, we see one
 # of the following diagnostics (note also the /y suffix in one case):
-#   prog: `d/no-x': Permission denied
-#   prog: cannot access `d/no-x/y': Permission denied
-#   prog: cannot read directory `d/no-x': Permission denied
+#   prog: 'd/no-x': Permission denied
+#   prog: cannot access 'd/no-x/y': Permission denied
+#   prog: cannot read directory 'd/no-x': Permission denied
 # Convert either of the latter two to the first one.
 sed "s/^$prog: cannot access /$prog: /" out > t && mv t out
 sed "s/^$prog: cannot read directory /$prog: /" out > t && mv t out
diff --git a/tests/du/restore-wd b/tests/du/restore-wd
index 03d87e858..eb9dc98ef 100755
--- a/tests/du/restore-wd
+++ b/tests/du/restore-wd
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ mkdir a b || framework_failure_
 
 
 # With du from coreutils-4.5.5 and 4.5.6, this would fail with
-# du: `b': No such file or directory
+# du: 'b': No such file or directory
 
 du a b > out || fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/du/slash b/tests/du/slash
index 0dfc1096f..24fc20079 100755
--- a/tests/du/slash
+++ b/tests/du/slash
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# `du /' would omit the `/' on the last line.
+# 'du /' would omit the '/' on the last line.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2003-2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/du/slink b/tests/du/slink
index 99677f96c..1f8429171 100755
--- a/tests/du/slink
+++ b/tests/du/slink
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
 print_ver_ du
 
-# Determine if `.' is on a local (would non-NFS be sufficient?) file system.
+# Determine if '.' is on a local (would non-NFS be sufficient?) file system.
 # At least on OSF/1 4.0d, when using an nfsv3 file system,
 # each created symlink can end up having a size of 0.
 require_local_dir_
 
 if df --type=xfs . >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   # At least on Irix-6.5.19, when using an xfs file system,
-  # each created symlink (name lengths up to 255) would have a size of `0'.
+  # each created symlink (name lengths up to 255) would have a size of '0'.
   skip_ "'.' is on an XFS file system"
 fi
 
diff --git a/tests/du/two-args b/tests/du/two-args
index 88d01339d..0d88c98ed 100755
--- a/tests/du/two-args
+++ b/tests/du/two-args
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure `du d/1 d/2' works.
+# Make sure 'du d/1 d/2' works.
 # That command failed with du from fileutils-4.0q.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2000, 2004-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/id/gnu-zero-uids b/tests/id/gnu-zero-uids
index 858004c65..6ca8dc651 100755
--- a/tests/id/gnu-zero-uids
+++ b/tests/id/gnu-zero-uids
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# On GNU, `id' must fail for processes with zero UIDs.
+# On GNU, 'id' must fail for processes with zero UIDs.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2011-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ require_gnu_
 
 sush - true || skip_ "the 'sush' command does not work"
 
-# Run `id' with zero UIDs.  It should exit with a non-zero status.
+# Run 'id' with zero UIDs.  It should exit with a non-zero status.
 sush - id > out && fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/init.cfg b/tests/init.cfg
index 437969840..fda82bc02 100644
--- a/tests/init.cfg
+++ b/tests/init.cfg
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ require_setfacl_()
     || skip_ "setfacl does not work on the current file system"
 }
 
-# Require a controlling input `terminal'.
+# Require a controlling input 'terminal'.
 require_controlling_input_terminal_()
 {
   tty -s || have_input_tty=no
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ rwx_to_mode_()
   # s  xs
   # T  t
   # t  xt
-  # The `T' and `t' ones are only valid for `other'.
+  # The 'T' and 't' ones are only valid for 'other'.
   s='s/S/@/;s/s/x@/;s/@/s/'
   t='s/T/@/;s/t/x@/;s/@/t/'
 
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ require_root_()
 
 skip_if_root_() { uid_is_privileged_ && skip_ "must be run as non-root"; }
 
-# Set `groups' to a space-separated list of at least two groups
+# Set 'groups' to a space-separated list of at least two groups
 # of which the user is a member.
 require_membership_in_two_groups_()
 {
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ require_membership_in_two_groups_()
     *' '*) ;;
     *) skip_ 'requires membership in two groups
 this test requires that you be a member of more than one group,
-but running `id -G'\'' either failed or found just one.  If you really
+but running 'id -G'\'' either failed or found just one.  If you really
 are a member of at least two groups, then rerun this test with
 COREUTILS_GROUPS set in your environment to the space-separated list
 of group names or numbers.  E.g.,
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ mkfifo_or_skip_()
     # Make an exception of this case -- usually we interpret framework-creation
     # failure as a test failure.  However, in this case, when running on a SunOS
     # system using a disk NFS mounted from OpenBSD, the above fails like this:
-    # mkfifo: cannot make fifo `fifo-10558': Not owner
+    # mkfifo: cannot make fifo 'fifo-10558': Not owner
     skip_ 'unable to create a fifo'
   fi
 }
diff --git a/tests/init.sh b/tests/init.sh
index dca215131..6266a259f 100644
--- a/tests/init.sh
+++ b/tests/init.sh
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ ME_=`expr "./$0" : '.*/\(.*\)$'`
 
 # We use a trap below for cleanup.  This requires us to go through
 # hoops to get the right exit status transported through the handler.
-# So use `Exit STATUS' instead of `exit STATUS' inside of the tests.
+# So use 'Exit STATUS' instead of 'exit STATUS' inside of the tests.
 # Turn off errexit here so that we don't trip the bug with OSF1/Tru64
 # sh inside this function.
 Exit () { set +e; (exit $1); exit $1; }
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ else
     if test "$re_shell_" = __current__; then
       # 'eval'ing this code makes Solaris 10's /bin/sh exit with
       # $? set to 2.  It does not evaluate any of the code after the
-      # "unexpected" first `('.  Thus, we must run it in a subshell.
+      # "unexpected" first '('.  Thus, we must run it in a subshell.
       ( eval "$gl_shell_test_script_" ) > /dev/null 2>&1
     else
       "$re_shell_" -c "$gl_shell_test_script_" 2>/dev/null
diff --git a/tests/install/basic-1 b/tests/install/basic-1
index 856590806..9f954eee4 100755
--- a/tests/install/basic-1
+++ b/tests/install/basic-1
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ chmod 755 sub
 # Ensure that the first argument-dir has been created.
 test -d xx/yy || fail=1
 
-# Make sure that the `rel' directory was not created...
+# Make sure that the 'rel' directory was not created...
 test -d sub/rel && fail=1
 # and make sure it was not created in the wrong place.
 test -d xx/rel && fail=1
@@ -105,11 +105,11 @@ fi
 touch file || fail=1
 ginstall -Dv file sub3/a/b/c/file >out 2>&1 || fail=1
 compare - out <<\EOF || fail=1
-ginstall: creating directory `sub3'
-ginstall: creating directory `sub3/a'
-ginstall: creating directory `sub3/a/b'
-ginstall: creating directory `sub3/a/b/c'
-`file' -> `sub3/a/b/c/file'
+ginstall: creating directory 'sub3'
+ginstall: creating directory 'sub3/a'
+ginstall: creating directory 'sub3/a/b'
+ginstall: creating directory 'sub3/a/b/c'
+'file' -> 'sub3/a/b/c/file'
 EOF
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/install/create-leading b/tests/install/create-leading
index 715fe2983..d349f601c 100755
--- a/tests/install/create-leading
+++ b/tests/install/create-leading
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-# Note that the tests below use `ginstall', not install, because
+# Note that the tests below use 'ginstall', not install, because
 # that's the name of the binary in ../../src.
 
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
diff --git a/tests/install/trap b/tests/install/trap
index 446e39ad4..79cea5f7c 100755
--- a/tests/install/trap
+++ b/tests/install/trap
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Ensure that `install -s' doesn't infloop when its parent
+# Ensure that 'install -s' doesn't infloop when its parent
 # process traps CHLD signal.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2004-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ print_ver_ ginstall
   # ash doesn't support "trap '' CHLD"; it knows only signal numbers.
   sig=`"$abs_top_builddir/src/kill" -l CHLD 2>/dev/null` && trap '' $sig
 
-  # Before 2004-04-21, install would infloop, in the `while (wait...' loop:
+  # Before 2004-04-21, install would infloop, in the 'while (wait...' loop:
   exec ginstall -s "$abs_top_builddir/src/ginstall$EXEEXT" .
 )
 
diff --git a/tests/ln/hard-backup b/tests/ln/hard-backup
index 65bf1f15a..bc38bbe5d 100755
--- a/tests/ln/hard-backup
+++ b/tests/ln/hard-backup
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ touch f || framework_failure_
 
 ln --backup f f 2> out && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-ln: `f' and `f' are the same file
+ln: 'f' and 'f' are the same file
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/ln/hard-to-sym b/tests/ln/hard-to-sym
index 5a3f1762c..3ea4570b1 100755
--- a/tests/ln/hard-to-sym
+++ b/tests/ln/hard-to-sym
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ esac
 ln -s /no-such-dir || framework_failure_
 ln -L no-such-dir hard-to-dangle 2>err && fail=1
 case `cat err` in
-  *' accessing `no-such-dir'\':*) ;;
+  *' accessing 'no-such-dir'\':*) ;;
   *) fail=1 ;;
 esac
 ln -P no-such-dir hard-to-dangle || fail=1
@@ -64,12 +64,12 @@ mkdir d || framework_failure_
 ln -s d link-to-dir || framework_failure_
 ln -L link-to-dir hard-to-dir-link 2>err && fail=1
 case `cat err` in
-  *': `link-to-dir'\'': hard link not allowed for directory'*) ;;
+  *': 'link-to-dir'\'': hard link not allowed for directory'*) ;;
   *) fail=1 ;;
 esac
 ln -P link-to-dir/ hard-to-dir-link 2>err && fail=1
 case `cat err` in
-  *': `link-to-dir/'\'': hard link not allowed for directory'*) ;;
+  *': 'link-to-dir/'\'': hard link not allowed for directory'*) ;;
   *) fail=1 ;;
 esac
 ln -P link-to-dir hard-to-dir-link || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/ln/target-1 b/tests/ln/target-1
index 72c46f203..87dfbf0cd 100755
--- a/tests/ln/target-1
+++ b/tests/ln/target-1
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 # Before coreutils-4.5.3, --target-dir didn't work with one file.
 # It would create the desired link, but would fail with a diagnosis like this:
-# ln: `d/.': cannot overwrite directory
+# ln: 'd/.': cannot overwrite directory
 # Based on a test case from Dmitry V. Levin.
 
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
diff --git a/tests/ls/follow-slink b/tests/ls/follow-slink
index 8bfe04c07..7b5042c7c 100755
--- a/tests/ls/follow-slink
+++ b/tests/ls/follow-slink
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ ln -s link link || framework_failure_
 ln -s ../../dir1 sub/link-to-dir || framework_failure_
 
 # Make sure the symlink was created.
-# `ln -s link link' succeeds, but creates no file on
+# 'ln -s link link' succeeds, but creates no file on
 # systems running some DJGPP-2.03 libc.
 ls -F link > /dev/null || framework_failure_
 
diff --git a/tests/ls/no-arg b/tests/ls/no-arg
index 8234a15de..26774072f 100755
--- a/tests/ls/no-arg
+++ b/tests/ls/no-arg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# make sure ls and `ls -R' do the right thing when invoked with no arguments.
+# make sure ls and 'ls -R' do the right thing when invoked with no arguments.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2003-2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/ls/symlink-slash b/tests/ls/symlink-slash
index 71cee568d..5adfdadcd 100755
--- a/tests/ls/symlink-slash
+++ b/tests/ls/symlink-slash
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ ln -s dir symlink || framework_failure_
 
 set `ls -l symlink/`
 
-# Prior to fileutils-4.0k, the following would have output `... symlink -> dir'.
+# Prior to fileutils-4.0k, the following would have output '... symlink -> dir'.
 test "$*" = 'total 0' && : || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/time-style-diag b/tests/ls/time-style-diag
index ba8c1c88a..ae41c9361 100755
--- a/tests/ls/time-style-diag
+++ b/tests/ls/time-style-diag
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ ls -l --time-style=XX > out 2> err
 test $? = 2 || fail=1
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-ls: invalid argument `XX' for `time style'
+ls: invalid argument 'XX' for 'time style'
 Valid arguments are:
   - [posix-]full-iso
   - [posix-]long-iso
   - [posix-]iso
   - [posix-]locale
-  - +FORMAT (e.g., +%H:%M) for a `date'-style format
+  - +FORMAT (e.g., +%H:%M) for a 'date'-style format
 Try 'ls --help' for more information.
 EOF
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/basename b/tests/misc/basename
index 6bd5e4019..349aac8f5 100755
--- a/tests/misc/basename
+++ b/tests/misc/basename
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ my @Tests =
      ['10', qw(fs/ s/),    {OUT => 'fs'}],
    );
 
-# Append a newline to end of each expected `OUT' string.
+# Append a newline to end of each expected 'OUT' string.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/chcon b/tests/misc/chcon
index ef4087f09..caa483143 100755
--- a/tests/misc/chcon
+++ b/tests/misc/chcon
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ EOF
 compare exp out || fail=1
 
 chcon --verbose -u$u1 f > out || fail=1
-echo 'changing security context of `f'\' > exp
+echo 'changing security context of 'f'\' > exp
 compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/csplit b/tests/misc/csplit
index ef0da141e..aea2e918f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/csplit
+++ b/tests/misc/csplit
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ EOF
 compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
-# `echo |csplit - 1 1' used to abort.
+# 'echo |csplit - 1 1' used to abort.
 echo > in
 csplit in 1 1 > out 2> err || fail=1
 cat <<EOF > exp
@@ -58,12 +58,12 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 EOF
 compare exp out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > experr
-csplit: warning: line number `1' is the same as preceding line number
+csplit: warning: line number '1' is the same as preceding line number
 EOF
 compare experr err || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp err experr
 
-# `echo | csplit -b '%0#6.3x' - 1' incorrectly warned about the format
+# 'echo | csplit -b '%0#6.3x' - 1' incorrectly warned about the format
 # up through coreutils 8.6.
 echo > in
 csplit -b '%0#6.3x' in 1 > out 2> err || fail=1
@@ -78,16 +78,16 @@ compare 'xx   000' experr || fail=1
 compare 'xx 0x001' in || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp err experr xx*
 
-# make sure `csplit FILE 0' fails.
+# make sure 'csplit FILE 0' fails.
 echo > in
 csplit in 0 > out 2> err && fail=1
 csplit in 2 1 > out 2>> err && fail=1
 csplit in 3 3 > out 2>> err && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > experr
 csplit: 0: line number must be greater than zero
-csplit: line number `1' is smaller than preceding line number, 2
-csplit: warning: line number `3' is the same as preceding line number
-csplit: `3': line number out of range
+csplit: line number '1' is smaller than preceding line number, 2
+csplit: warning: line number '3' is the same as preceding line number
+csplit: '3': line number out of range
 EOF
 compare experr err || fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/cut b/tests/misc/cut
index 8c3676ef0..0ce051ab0 100755
--- a/tests/misc/cut
+++ b/tests/misc/cut
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ my @Tests =
   # A totally overlapped field shouldn't change anything:
   ['out-delim2', '-c1-3,2,5-', '--output-d=:', {IN=>"abcdefg\n"},
    {OUT=>"abc:efg\n"}],
-  # Partial overlap: index `2' is not at the start of a range.
+  # Partial overlap: index '2' is not at the start of a range.
   ['out-delim3', '-c1-3,2-4,6', '--output-d=:', {IN=>"abcdefg\n"},
    {OUT=>"abcd:f\n"}],
   ['out-delim3a', '-c1-3,2-4,6-', '--output-d=:', {IN=>"abcdefg\n"},
    {OUT=>"abcd:fg\n"}],
   # Ensure that the following two commands produce the same output.
-  # Before an off-by-1 fix, the output from the former would not contain a `:'.
+  # Before an off-by-1 fix, the output from the former would not contain a ':'.
   ['out-delim4', '-c4-,2-3', '--output-d=:',
    {IN=>"abcdefg\n"}, {OUT=>"bc:defg\n"}],
   ['out-delim5', '-c2-3,4-', '--output-d=:',
diff --git a/tests/misc/date b/tests/misc/date
index 61137125e..8a23ca9c6 100755
--- a/tests/misc/date
+++ b/tests/misc/date
@@ -227,9 +227,9 @@ my @Tests =
 
      ['tz-5', '+%:z', {OUT=>"-00:01"}, {ENV=>'TZ=XXX0:01'}],
 
-     # Accept %:z with a field width before the `:'.
+     # Accept %:z with a field width before the ':'.
      ['tz-5w','+%8:z', {OUT=>"-0000:01"}, {ENV=>'TZ=XXX0:01'}],
-     # Don't recognize %:z with a field width between the `:' and the `z'.
+     # Don't recognize %:z with a field width between the ':' and the 'z'.
      ['tz-5wf', '+%:8z', {OUT=>"%:8z"}, {ENV=>'TZ=XXX0:01'}],
 
      ['ns-relative',
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
      # Since coreutils/lib/getdate.y revision 1.96 (post-coreutils-5.3.0),
      # a command like the following would mistakenly exit nonzero with an
-     # `invalid date ...' diagnostic, but when run in a time zone for
+     # 'invalid date ...' diagnostic, but when run in a time zone for
      # which daylight savings time is in effect for the starting date.
      # Unfortunately (for ease of testing), if you set TZ at all, this
      # failure is not triggered, hence the removal of TZ from the environment.
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ my @Tests =
       # you get on a system with 32-bit time_t is not the same as
       # the one you get for a system where it's 64 bits wide:
       # - date: time 72057594037927935 is out of range
-      # + date: invalid date `@72057594037927935'
+      # + date: invalid date '@72057594037927935'
       {ERR_SUBST => 's/.*//'},
       {ERR => "\n"},
       {EXIT => 1},
diff --git a/tests/misc/date-sec b/tests/misc/date-sec
index 04d8bc4fb..b36b6759f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/date-sec
+++ b/tests/misc/date-sec
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ print_ver_ date
 
 # It would be easier simply to sleep for two seconds between two runs
 # of `date --date="21:04 +0100" +%S` and ensure that both outputs
-# are `00', but I prefer not to sleep unconditionally.  `make check'
+# are '00', but I prefer not to sleep unconditionally.  'make check'
 # takes long enough as it is.
 
 n=0
-# See if the current number of seconds is `00' or just before.
+# See if the current number of seconds is '00' or just before.
 s=`date +%S`
 case "$s" in
   58) n=3;;
diff --git a/tests/misc/dirname b/tests/misc/dirname
index 5934b25c7..67a374ede 100755
--- a/tests/misc/dirname
+++ b/tests/misc/dirname
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ my @Tests =
      ['m', qw(''),         {OUT => '.'}],
     );
 
-# Append a newline to end of each expected `OUT' string.
+# Append a newline to end of each expected 'OUT' string.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/expr b/tests/misc/expr
index be757e2c6..556822848 100755
--- a/tests/misc/expr
+++ b/tests/misc/expr
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ my @Tests =
      ['paren4', '9 / \( \( 100 % 6 \) - 8 \)', {OUT => '-2'}],
      ['paren5', '9 + \( 100 % 6 \)', {OUT => '13'}],
 
-     # Before 2.0.12, this would output `1'.
+     # Before 2.0.12, this would output '1'.
      ['0bang', '00 \< 0!', {OUT => '0'}, {EXIT => 1}],
 
      # In 5.1.3 and earlier, these would exit with status 0.
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ my @Tests =
      ['orempty', '"" \| ""', {OUT => '0'}, {EXIT => 1}],
 
 
-     # This erroneously succeeded and output `3' before 2.0.12.
+     # This erroneously succeeded and output '3' before 2.0.12.
      ['fail-a', '3 + -', {ERR => "$prog: non-integer argument\n"},
       {EXIT => 2}],
 
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ my @Tests =
 `expr $big_prod '*' $big_prod '*' $big_prod`
   or @Tests = grep {$_->[0] !~ /^bignum-/} @Tests;
 
-# Append a newline to end of each expected `OUT' string.
+# Append a newline to end of each expected 'OUT' string.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/factor b/tests/misc/factor
index 71f850ae4..d5565d66c 100755
--- a/tests/misc/factor
+++ b/tests/misc/factor
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ my @Tests =
     );
 
 # Prepend the command line argument and append a newline to end
-# of each expected `OUT' string.
+# of each expected 'OUT' string.
 my $t;
 
 Test:
diff --git a/tests/misc/help-version b/tests/misc/help-version
index b93eb3796..c89d11856 100755
--- a/tests/misc/help-version
+++ b/tests/misc/help-version
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ test "x$v" = "x$VERSION" \
 for lang in C fr da; do
   for i in $built_programs; do
 
-    # Skip `test'; it doesn't accept --help or --version.
+    # Skip 'test'; it doesn't accept --help or --version.
     test $i = test && continue;
 
     # false fails even when invoked with --help or --version.
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ for lang in C fr da; do
       continue
     fi
 
-    # The just-built install executable is always named `ginstall'.
+    # The just-built install executable is always named 'ginstall'.
     test $i = install && i=ginstall
 
     # Make sure they exit successfully, under normal conditions.
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ for lang in C fr da; do
     grep "$PACKAGE_BUGREPORT" h-$i > /dev/null || fail=1
     rm -f h-$i
 
-    # Make sure they fail upon `disk full' error.
+    # Make sure they fail upon 'disk full' error.
     if test -w /dev/full && test -c /dev/full; then
       env $i --help    >/dev/full 2>/dev/null && fail=1
       env $i --version >/dev/full 2>/dev/null && fail=1
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ chown_setup () { args=--version; }
 mkfifo_setup () { args=--version; }
 mknod_setup () { args=--version; }
 # Punt on uptime, since it fails (e.g., failing to get boot time)
-# on some systems, and we shouldn't let that stop `make check'.
+# on some systems, and we shouldn't let that stop 'make check'.
 uptime_setup () { args=--version; }
 
 # Create a file in the current directory, not in $TMPDIR.
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ basename_setup () { args=$tmp_in; }
 dirname_setup () { args=$tmp_in; }
 expr_setup () { args=foo; }
 
-# Punt, in case GNU `id' hasn't been installed yet.
+# Punt, in case GNU 'id' hasn't been installed yet.
 groups_setup () { args=--version; }
 
 pathchk_setup () { args=$tmp_in; }
diff --git a/tests/misc/ls-misc b/tests/misc/ls-misc
index 32e21c757..1f536005c 100755
--- a/tests/misc/ls-misc
+++ b/tests/misc/ls-misc
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ my @Tests =
      ['emptydir-x2', 'd d',  {OUT => "d:\n\nd:\n"}, $mkdir, $rmdir],
      ['emptydir-R', '-R d',  {OUT => "d:\n"}, $mkdir, $rmdir],
 
-     # test `ls -R .' ............................................
+     # test 'ls -R .' ............................................
      ['R-dot', '--ignore="[a-ce-zA-Z]*" -R .',  {OUT => ".:\nd\n\n\./d:\n"},
       $mkdir, $rmdir],
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/ls-time b/tests/misc/ls-time
index 6a227c4d9..a60b85524 100755
--- a/tests/misc/ls-time
+++ b/tests/misc/ls-time
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ and for tmpfs file systems on Solaris 5.5.1.
 It is also expected to fail on a btrfs file system until
 http://bugzilla.redhat.com/591068 is addressed.
 
-In the output below, `c' should have had a ctime more recent than
-that of `a', but does not.
+In the output below, 'c' should have had a ctime more recent than
+that of 'a', but does not.
 EOF
   #'
   ls -ctl --full-time a c
diff --git a/tests/misc/md5sum b/tests/misc/md5sum
index b01e4c5ad..7c7356535 100755
--- a/tests/misc/md5sum
+++ b/tests/misc/md5sum
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ my @Tests =
       {ERR=> "$prog: h: no properly formatted MD5 checksum lines found\n"}],
     );
 
-# Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+# Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/md5sum-bsd b/tests/misc/md5sum-bsd
index d16fe0bcd..8226d7ab7 100755
--- a/tests/misc/md5sum-bsd
+++ b/tests/misc/md5sum-bsd
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# make sure `md5sum -c' works for alternate BSD format (md5 -r)
+# make sure 'md5sum -c' works for alternate BSD format (md5 -r)
 
 # Copyright (C) 2011-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/nice b/tests/misc/nice
index e8753263e..bb7cb5809 100755
--- a/tests/misc/nice
+++ b/tests/misc/nice
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ NA LAST NA
 '
 set $tests
 
-# Require that this test be run at `nice' level 0.
+# Require that this test be run at 'nice' level 0.
 niceness=`nice`
 if test "$niceness" = 0; then
     : ok
diff --git a/tests/misc/nohup b/tests/misc/nohup
index 99af1e66f..e20a22c70 100755
--- a/tests/misc/nohup
+++ b/tests/misc/nohup
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ nohup sh -c 'echo stdout; echo stderr 1>&2' 2>err || fail=1
 if test -t 1; then
   test "`cat nohup.out`" = stdout || fail=1
   if test -t 0; then
-    echo 'nohup: ignoring input and appending output to `nohup.out'\'
+    echo 'nohup: ignoring input and appending output to 'nohup.out'\'
   else
-    echo 'nohup: appending output to `nohup.out'\'
+    echo 'nohup: appending output to 'nohup.out'\'
   fi >exp || fail=1
 else
   # Here it should not even exist.
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ if test -t 1; then
 fi
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-nohup: appending output to `nohup.out'
-nohup: cannot run command `no-such-command': No such file or directory
+nohup: appending output to 'nohup.out'
+nohup: cannot run command 'no-such-command': No such file or directory
 EOF
 # Disable these comparisons.  Too much variation in 2nd line.
 # compare exp err || fail=1
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ if test -t 1; then
 fi
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-nohup: appending output to `nohup.out'
-nohup: cannot run command `./k': Permission denied
+nohup: appending output to 'nohup.out'
+nohup: cannot run command './k': Permission denied
 EOF
 # Disable these comparisons.  Too much variation in 2nd line.
 # compare exp err || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-N b/tests/misc/od-N
index d2169bfd9..4f6c08d3a 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-N
+++ b/tests/misc/od-N
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Verify that `od -N N' reads no more than N bytes of input.
+# Verify that 'od -N N' reads no more than N bytes of input.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2004-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/printf b/tests/misc/printf
index 1a927265c..30e592d48 100755
--- a/tests/misc/printf
+++ b/tests/misc/printf
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ getlimits_
 # Verify the 3 methods of specifying "Escape":
 test $($prog "\x1b\n\33\n\e\n" | uniq -u) && fail=1
 
-# This would fail (by printing the `--') for printf in sh-utils
+# This would fail (by printing the '--') for printf in sh-utils
 # and in coreutils 4.5.1.
 $prog -- 'foo\n' > out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ POSIXLY_CORRECT=1 \
 $prog '4 \x40\n'      >> out || fail=1
 $prog '5 % +d\n' 234  >> out || fail=1
 
-# This should print "6 !\n", but don't rely on `!' being the
+# This should print "6 !\n", but don't rely on '!' being the
 # one-byte representation of octal 041.  With printf prior to
 # coreutils-5.0.1, it would print six bytes: "6 \41\n".
 $prog '6 \41\n' | tr '\41' '!' >> out
 
 # Note that as of coreutils-5.0.1, printf with a format of '\0002x'
-# prints a NUL byte followed by the digit `2' and an `x'.
+# prints a NUL byte followed by the digit '2' and an 'x'.
 # By contrast bash's printf outputs the same thing as $(printf '\2x') does.
 $prog '7 \2y \02y \002y \0002y\n' |tr '\0\2' '*=' >> out
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha1sum b/tests/misc/sha1sum
index 811366b67..75d1e4bbb 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha1sum
+++ b/tests/misc/sha1sum
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ my @Tests =
       {ERR=> "$prog: z: no properly formatted SHA1 checksum lines found\n"}],
     );
 
-# Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+# Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec b/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec
index 172a0eabc..4c7c06afd 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec
+++ b/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ foreach $t (@Tests)
     my $h = $t->[2];
     $h->{OUT} = lc $h->{OUT} . "  f\n";
 
-    # Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+    # Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
     splice @$t, 1, 0, '--text';
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha224sum b/tests/misc/sha224sum
index 9179ace8d..5efc961ed 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha224sum
+++ b/tests/misc/sha224sum
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ my @Tests =
       {OUT=>"20794655980c91d8bbb4c1ea97618a4bf03f42581948b2ee4ee7ad67  f\n"}],
     );
 
-# Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+# Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha256sum b/tests/misc/sha256sum
index 44fbc1d6f..d8ac08208 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha256sum
+++ b/tests/misc/sha256sum
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ my @Tests =
                         {OUT=>"cdc76e5c9914fb9281a1c7e284d73e67f1809a48a497200e046d39ccc7112cd0  f\n"}],
     );
 
-# Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+# Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha384sum b/tests/misc/sha384sum
index 8fc06ab61..8d688e77e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha384sum
+++ b/tests/misc/sha384sum
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ my @Tests =
                         {OUT=>"9d0e1809716474cb086e834e310a4a1ced149e9c00f248527972cec5704c2a5b07b8b3dc38ecc4ebae97ddd87f3d8985  f\n"}],
     );
 
-# Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+# Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha512sum b/tests/misc/sha512sum
index bf525861a..0c976d56e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha512sum
+++ b/tests/misc/sha512sum
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ my @Tests =
                         {OUT=>"e718483d0ce769644e2e42c7bc15b4638e1f98b13b2044285632a803afa973ebde0ff244877ea60a4cb0432ce577c31beb009c5c2c49aa2e4eadb217ad8cc09b  f\n"}],
     );
 
-# Insert the `--text' argument for each test.
+# Insert the '--text' argument for each test.
 my $t;
 foreach $t (@Tests)
   {
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort b/tests/misc/sort
index 64fb1023a..ea27faa25 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort
+++ b/tests/misc/sort
@@ -156,10 +156,10 @@ my @Tests =
 ["07l", '-s +0 -1.2', {IN=>"a c\na b\n"}, {OUT=>"a b\na c\n"}],
 ["07m", '-s +0 -1.1b', {IN=>"a c\na b\n"}, {OUT=>"a b\na c\n"}],
 #
-# report an error for `.' without following char spec
+# report an error for '.' without following char spec
 ["08a", '-k 2.,3', {EXIT=>2},
  {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after `.': invalid count at start of `,3'\n"}],
-# report an error for `,' without following POS2
+# report an error for ',' without following POS2
 ["08b", '-k 2,', {EXIT=>2},
  {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after `,': invalid count at start of `'\n"}],
 #
@@ -172,12 +172,12 @@ my @Tests =
 #
 # Bug reported by Roger Peel <R.Peel@ee.surrey.ac.uk>
 ["10a", '-t : -k 2.2,2.2', {IN=>":ba\n:ab\n"}, {OUT=>":ba\n:ab\n"}],
-# Equivalent to above, but using obsolescent `+pos -pos' option syntax.
+# Equivalent to above, but using obsolescent '+pos -pos' option syntax.
 ["10b", '-t : +1.1 -1.2', {IN=>":ba\n:ab\n"}, {OUT=>":ba\n:ab\n"}],
 #
 # The same as the preceding two, but with input lines reversed.
 ["10c", '-t : -k 2.2,2.2', {IN=>":ab\n:ba\n"}, {OUT=>":ba\n:ab\n"}],
-# Equivalent to above, but using obsolescent `+pos -pos' option syntax.
+# Equivalent to above, but using obsolescent '+pos -pos' option syntax.
 ["10d", '-t : +1.1 -1.2', {IN=>":ab\n:ba\n"}, {OUT=>":ba\n:ab\n"}],
 # Try without -t...
 # But note that we have to count the delimiting space at the beginning
@@ -205,10 +205,10 @@ my @Tests =
 # and the second key spec isn't even used.
 ["11d", '-t: -k2,2b -k3,3', {IN=>"z:a :b\na\t:a\n"}, {OUT=>"a\t:a\nz:a :b\n"}],
 #
-# Exercise bug re comparing `-' and integers.
+# Exercise bug re comparing '-' and integers.
 ["12a", '-n -t: +1', {IN=>"a:1\nb:-\n"}, {OUT=>"b:-\na:1\n"}],
 ["12b", '-n -t: +1', {IN=>"b:-\na:1\n"}, {OUT=>"b:-\na:1\n"}],
-# Try some other (e.g. `X') invalid character.
+# Try some other (e.g. 'X') invalid character.
 ["12c", '-n -t: +1', {IN=>"a:1\nb:X\n"}, {OUT=>"b:X\na:1\n"}],
 ["12d", '-n -t: +1', {IN=>"b:X\na:1\n"}, {OUT=>"b:X\na:1\n"}],
 # From Karl Heuer
@@ -236,22 +236,22 @@ my @Tests =
 # of sort from textutils-1.19p and before.
 ["17", '-c', {IN=>"xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\n"}],
 
-# POSIX says -n no longer implies -b, so here we're comparing ` 9' and `10'.
+# POSIX says -n no longer implies -b, so here we're comparing ' 9' and '10'.
 ["18a", '-k1.1,1.2n', {IN=>" 901\n100\n"}, {OUT=>" 901\n100\n"}],
 
-# Just like above, because the global `-b' has no effect on the
-# key specifier when a key-specific option (`n' in this case) is used.
+# Just like above, because the global '-b' has no effect on the
+# key specifier when a key-specific option ('n' in this case) is used.
 ["18b", '-b -k1.1,1.2n', {IN=>" 901\n100\n"}, {OUT=>" 901\n100\n"}],
 
-# Here we're comparing ` 90' and `10', because the `b' on the key-end specifier
+# Here we're comparing ' 90' and '10', because the 'b' on the key-end specifier
 # makes sort ignore leading blanks when determining that key's *end*.
 ["18c", '-k1.1,1.2nb', {IN=>" 901\n100\n"}, {OUT=>"100\n 901\n"}],
 
-# Here we're comparing `9' and `10', because the `b' on the key-start specifier
+# Here we're comparing '9' and '10', because the 'b' on the key-start specifier
 # makes sort ignore leading blanks when determining that key's *start*.
 ["18d", '-k1.1b,1.2n', {IN=>" 901\n100\n"}, {OUT=>" 901\n100\n"}],
 
-# This compares `90' and `10', as it ignores leading blanks for both
+# This compares '90' and '10', as it ignores leading blanks for both
 # key start and key end.
 ["18e", '-nb -k1.1,1.2', {IN=>" 901\n100\n"}, {OUT=>"100\n 901\n"}],
 
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
 # Demonstrate that folding changes the ordering of e.g. A, a, and _
 # because while they normally (in the C locale) collate like A, _, a,
-# when using -f, `a' is compared as if it were `A'.
+# when using -f, 'a' is compared as if it were 'A'.
 ["21a", '', {IN=>"A\na\n_\n"}, {OUT=>"A\n_\na\n"}],
 ["21b", '-f', {IN=>"A\na\n_\n"}, {OUT=>"A\na\n_\n"}],
 ["21c", '-f', {IN=>"a\nA\n_\n"}, {OUT=>"A\na\n_\n"}],
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-compress b/tests/misc/sort-compress
index 085b320f0..09d6720d8 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-compress
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-compress
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ EOF
 
 chmod +x gzip
 
-# Ensure `sort` is immune to parent's SIGCHLD handler
+# Ensure 'sort` is immune to parent's SIGCHLD handler
 # Use a subshell and an exec to work around a bug in FreeBSD 5.0 /bin/sh.
 (
   # ash doesn't support "trap '' CHLD"; it knows only signal numbers.
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-debug-warn b/tests/misc/sort-debug-warn
index f7dea8c91..504a2d2bc 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-debug-warn
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-debug-warn
@@ -27,27 +27,27 @@ sort: key 1 has zero width and will be ignored
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: key 1 is numeric and spans multiple fields
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: options `-bghMRrV' are ignored
+sort: options '-bghMRrV' are ignored
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: options `-bghMRV' are ignored
-sort: option `-r' only applies to last-resort comparison
+sort: options '-bghMRV' are ignored
+sort: option '-r' only applies to last-resort comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: option `-r' only applies to last-resort comparison
+sort: option '-r' only applies to last-resort comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: options `-bg' are ignored
+sort: options '-bg' are ignored
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: option `-b' is ignored
+sort: option '-b' is ignored
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: leading blanks are significant in key 1; consider also specifying `b'
+sort: leading blanks are significant in key 1; consider also specifying 'b'
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: leading blanks are significant in key 1; consider also specifying `b'
-sort: option `-d' is ignored
+sort: leading blanks are significant in key 1; consider also specifying 'b'
+sort: option '-d' is ignored
 sort: using simple byte comparison
-sort: leading blanks are significant in key 1; consider also specifying `b'
-sort: option `-i' is ignored
+sort: leading blanks are significant in key 1; consider also specifying 'b'
+sort: option '-i' is ignored
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: using simple byte comparison
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ compare exp out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
 sort: using simple byte comparison
 sort: key 1 is numeric and spans multiple fields
-sort: obsolescent key `+2 -1' used; consider `-k 3,1' instead
+sort: obsolescent key '+2 -1' used; consider '-k 3,1' instead
 sort: key 2 has zero width and will be ignored
-sort: leading blanks are significant in key 2; consider also specifying `b'
-sort: option `-b' is ignored
-sort: option `-r' only applies to last-resort comparison
+sort: leading blanks are significant in key 2; consider also specifying 'b'
+sort: option '-b' is ignored
+sort: option '-r' only applies to last-resort comparison
 EOF
 
 sort --debug -rb -k2n +2.2 -1b /dev/null 2>out
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-files0-from b/tests/misc/sort-files0-from
index 80ad423ce..1b362ac45 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-files0-from
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-files0-from
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ my @Tests =
    # input file name of '-'
    ['minus-in-stdin', '--files0-from=-', '<', {IN=>{f=>'-'}}, {EXIT=>2},
     {ERR => "$prog: when reading file names from stdin, no file name of"
-     . " `-' allowed\n"}],
+     . " '-' allowed\n"}],
 
    # empty input, regular file
    ['empty', '--files0-from=@AUX@', {AUX=>''}, {EXIT=>2},
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ my @Tests =
     {ERR => "$prog: -:1: invalid zero-length file name\n"}],
 
    # two NULs
-   # Note that the behavior here differs from `wc' in that the
+   # Note that the behavior here differs from 'wc' in that the
    # first zero-length file name is treated as fatal, so there
    # is only one line of diagnostic output.
    ['nul-2', '--files0-from=-', '<', {IN=>"\0\0"}, {EXIT=>2},
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ my @Tests =
     {IN=>{f=>"g\0g\0"}}, {AUX=>{g=>'a'}}, {OUT=>"a\na\n"} ],
 
    # Ensure that $prog does nothing when there is a zero-length filename.
-   # Note that the behavior here differs from `wc' in that the
+   # Note that the behavior here differs from 'wc' in that the
    # first zero-length file name is treated as fatal, so there
    # should be no output on STDOUT.
    ['zero-len', '--files0-from=-', '<',
diff --git a/tests/misc/stdbuf b/tests/misc/stdbuf
index 4420deda0..99bb24300 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stdbuf
+++ b/tests/misc/stdbuf
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
 #  One could remove the need for dd (used to close the fifo to get uniq to quit
 #  early), if head -n1 read stdin char by char. Note uniq | head -c2 doesn't
 #  suffice due to the buffering implicit in the pipe.  sed currently does read
-#  stdin char by char, so we can test with `sed 1q`.  However I'm wary about
+#  stdin char by char, so we can test with 'sed 1q`.  However I'm wary about
 #  adding this dependency on a program outside of coreutils.
     # printf '2\n' > exp
     # printf '1\n2\n' | (stdbuf -i0 sed 1q >/dev/null; cat) > out
diff --git a/tests/misc/stty b/tests/misc/stty
index 689fb8d37..c2999417c 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stty
+++ b/tests/misc/stty
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ stty -raw -a 2>/dev/null && fail=1
 sed_del='/^speed/d;/^rows/d;/^columns/d;/ = /d'
 options=`stty -a | tr -s ';' '\n' | sed "s/^ //;$sed_del;s/-//g"`
 
-# Take them one at a time, with and without the leading `-'.
+# Take them one at a time, with and without the leading '-'.
 for opt in $options; do
-  # `stty parenb' and `stty -parenb' fail with this message
+  # 'stty parenb' and 'stty -parenb' fail with this message
   # stty: standard input: unable to perform all requested operations
   # on Linux 2.2.0-pre4 kernels.  Also since around Linux 2.6.30
   # other serial control settings give the same error. So skip them.
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ for opt in $options; do
 
   stty $opt || fail=1
 
-  # Likewise, `stty -cread' would fail, so skip that, too.
+  # Likewise, 'stty -cread' would fail, so skip that, too.
   test $opt = cread && continue
   rev=`eval echo "\\\$REV_$opt"`
   if test -n "$rev"; then
diff --git a/tests/misc/stty-row-col b/tests/misc/stty-row-col
index b0319b21a..9a498e85a 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stty-row-col
+++ b/tests/misc/stty-row-col
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-# Setting this envvar to a very small value used to cause e.g., `stty size'
+# Setting this envvar to a very small value used to cause e.g., 'stty size'
 # to generate slightly different output on certain systems.
 COLUMNS=80
 export COLUMNS
diff --git a/tests/misc/sum-sysv b/tests/misc/sum-sysv
index 4d5454cc3..6132ee1bc 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sum-sysv
+++ b/tests/misc/sum-sysv
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# make sure `sum -s' works for input whose sum of bytes is larger than 2^32
+# make sure 'sum -s' works for input whose sum of bytes is larger than 2^32
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001-2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/tail b/tests/misc/tail
index 69392b3e0..910297664 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tail
+++ b/tests/misc/tail
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ my @tv = (
 ['obs-plus-l4', '+1l', "x\ny\n", "x\ny\n", 0],
 ['obs-plus-l5', '+2l', "x\ny\n", "y\n", 0],
 
-# Same as -l tests, but without the `l'.
+# Same as -l tests, but without the 'l'.
 ['obs-1', '-1', 'x', 'x', 0],
 ['obs-2', '-1', "x\ny\n", "y\n", 0],
 ['obs-3', '-1', "x\ny", "y", 0],
@@ -64,12 +64,12 @@ my @tv = (
 ['err-3', '+2cz', '', '', 1,
  "$prog: cannot open `+2cz' for reading: No such file or directory\n"],
 
-# This should get `tail: invalid option -- 2'
+# This should get 'tail: invalid option -- 2'
 ['err-4', '-2cX', '', '', 1,
  "$prog: option used in invalid context -- 2\n"],
 
 # Since the number is larger than 2^64, this should provoke
-# the diagnostic: `tail: 99999999999999999999: invalid number of bytes'
+# the diagnostic: 'tail: 99999999999999999999: invalid number of bytes'
 # on all systems... probably, for now, maybe.
 ['err-5', '-c99999999999999999999', '', '', 1,
  "$prog: 99999999999999999999: invalid number of bytes\n"],
diff --git a/tests/misc/test b/tests/misc/test
index 356268b8e..aad07d057 100755
--- a/tests/misc/test
+++ b/tests/misc/test
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ sub add_inverse_op_tests($)
       my ($flags, $ret, $LoH) = digest_test $t;
 
       # Generate corresponding tests of inverse ops.
-      # E.g. generate tests of `-ge' from those of `-lt'.
+      # E.g. generate tests of '-ge' from those of '-lt'.
       foreach my $op (qw(gt lt eq))
         {
           if ($test_name =~ /$op-/ && $flags =~ / -$op /)
diff --git a/tests/misc/timeout b/tests/misc/timeout
index 997728060..cc1ad3d6e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/timeout
+++ b/tests/misc/timeout
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ test $? = 124 || fail=1
 timeout -s0 -k1 1 sleep 10
 test $? = 124 && fail=1
 
-# Ensure `timeout` is immune to parent's SIGCHLD handler
+# Ensure 'timeout` is immune to parent's SIGCHLD handler
 # Use a subshell and an exec to work around a bug in FreeBSD 5.0 /bin/sh.
 (
   # ash doesn't support "trap '' CHLD"; it knows only signal numbers.
diff --git a/tests/misc/wc-files0-from b/tests/misc/wc-files0-from
index ac2211345..ac96c98d4 100755
--- a/tests/misc/wc-files0-from
+++ b/tests/misc/wc-files0-from
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ my @Tests =
    # input file name of '-'
    ['minus-in-stdin', '--files0-from=-', '<', {IN=>{f=>'-'}}, {EXIT=>1},
     {ERR => "$prog: when reading file names from stdin, no file name of"
-     . " `-' allowed\n"}],
+     . " '-' allowed\n"}],
 
    # empty input, regular file
    ['empty', '--files0-from=@AUX@', {AUX=>''}],
diff --git a/tests/mkdir/p-v b/tests/mkdir/p-v
index e1596ee02..d6dcfdd87 100755
--- a/tests/mkdir/p-v
+++ b/tests/mkdir/p-v
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ print_ver_ mkdir
 mkdir -pv foo/a/b/c/d >out || fail=1
 
 compare - out <<\EOF
-mkdir: created directory `foo'
-mkdir: created directory `foo/a'
-mkdir: created directory `foo/a/b'
-mkdir: created directory `foo/a/b/c'
-mkdir: created directory `foo/a/b/c/d'
+mkdir: created directory 'foo'
+mkdir: created directory 'foo/a'
+mkdir: created directory 'foo/a/b'
+mkdir: created directory 'foo/a/b/c'
+mkdir: created directory 'foo/a/b/c/d'
 EOF
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mkdir/parents b/tests/mkdir/parents
index 9fa301157..9e533215d 100755
--- a/tests/mkdir/parents
+++ b/tests/mkdir/parents
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ skip_if_setgid_
 mkdir -m 700 e-dir || framework_failure_
 
 
-# Make sure `mkdir -p existing-dir' succeeds
-# and that `mkdir existing-dir' fails.
+# Make sure 'mkdir -p existing-dir' succeeds
+# and that 'mkdir existing-dir' fails.
 mkdir -p e-dir || fail=1
 mkdir e-dir > /dev/null 2>&1 && fail=1
 
@@ -34,18 +34,18 @@ mode_str=drwxr-x-wx
 mode_arg=`rwx_to_mode_ $mode_str`
 mkdir -m $mode_arg a || fail=1
 
-# this `mkdir -p ...' shouldn't change perms of existing dir `a'.
+# this 'mkdir -p ...' shouldn't change perms of existing dir 'a'.
 d_mode_str=drwx-w--wx
 d_mode_arg=`rwx_to_mode_ $d_mode_str`
 mkdir -p -m $d_mode_arg a/b/c/d
 
-# Make sure the permissions of `a' haven't been changed.
+# Make sure the permissions of 'a' haven't been changed.
 p=`ls -ld a|cut -b-10`; case $p in $mode_str);; *) fail=1;; esac
-# `b's and `c's should reflect the umask
+# 'b's and 'c's should reflect the umask
 p=`ls -ld a/b|cut -b-10`; case $p in drwx------);; *) fail=1;; esac
 p=`ls -ld a/b/c|cut -b-10`; case $p in drwx------);; *) fail=1;; esac
 
-# `d's perms are determined by the -m argument.
+# 'd's perms are determined by the -m argument.
 p=`ls -ld a/b/c/d|cut -b-10`; case $p in $d_mode_str);; *) fail=1;; esac
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mkdir/perm b/tests/mkdir/perm
index bec30ae9b..048fafcc0 100755
--- a/tests/mkdir/perm
+++ b/tests/mkdir/perm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Verify that mkdir's `-m MODE' option works properly
+# Verify that mkdir's '-m MODE' option works properly
 # with various umask settings.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2000, 2002-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/mv/backup-dir b/tests/mv/backup-dir
index f28e5b4c1..40f2c756a 100755
--- a/tests/mv/backup-dir
+++ b/tests/mv/backup-dir
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ mkdir A B || framework_failure_
 touch X Y || framework_failure_
 
 
-# Before coreutils-6.2, the " (backup: `B.~1~')" suffix was not printed.
+# Before coreutils-6.2, the " (backup: 'B.~1~')" suffix was not printed.
 mv --verbose --backup=numbered -T A B > out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-`A' -> `B' (backup: `B.~1~')
+'A' -> 'B' (backup: 'B.~1~')
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/backup-is-src b/tests/mv/backup-is-src
index 5fc2ecf52..ce51001a5 100755
--- a/tests/mv/backup-is-src
+++ b/tests/mv/backup-is-src
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ sed \
   out > out2
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-XXX: backing up `YYY' would destroy source;  `ZZZ' not moved
+XXX: backing up 'YYY' would destroy source;  'ZZZ' not moved
 EOF
 
 compare exp out2 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/diag b/tests/mv/diag
index c8ba7f3e7..7fbe46bd6 100755
--- a/tests/mv/diag
+++ b/tests/mv/diag
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ mv --target=f2 f1 >> out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat > exp <<\EOF
 mv: missing file operand
 Try 'mv --help' for more information.
-mv: missing destination file operand after `no-file'
+mv: missing destination file operand after 'no-file'
 Try 'mv --help' for more information.
-mv: target `f1' is not a directory
-mv: target `f2' is not a directory
+mv: target 'f1' is not a directory
+mv: target 'f2' is not a directory
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/dir2dir b/tests/mv/dir2dir
index 133be8328..c170de20a 100755
--- a/tests/mv/dir2dir
+++ b/tests/mv/dir2dir
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ sed             's/: File exists/: Directory not empty/'<out>o1;mv o1 out
 sed 's/: Device or resource busy/: Directory not empty/'<out>o1;mv o1 out
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-mv: cannot move `b/t' to `a/t': Directory not empty
+mv: cannot move 'b/t' to 'a/t': Directory not empty
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/dup-source b/tests/mv/dup-source
index 7a34472d8..0b102b9bc 100755
--- a/tests/mv/dup-source
+++ b/tests/mv/dup-source
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ for i in cp; do
   rm -fr a d; touch a; mkdir d
   $i --backup=numbered a a d/ 2>> out || fail=1
 
-  # But not with plain `--backup'
+  # But not with plain '--backup'
   rm -fr a d; touch a; mkdir d
   $i --backup a a d/ 2>> out && fail=1
   cat <<EOF > exp
diff --git a/tests/mv/hard-3 b/tests/mv/hard-3
index 8f51606e2..9a7a2a376 100755
--- a/tests/mv/hard-3
+++ b/tests/mv/hard-3
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@
 # To exercise this bug is non-trivial:
 # Set-up requires at least three hard-linked files.  In copying them,
 # while preserving links, the initial copy must succeed, the attempt
-# to create the second file via `link' must fail, and the final `link'
+# to create the second file via 'link' must fail, and the final 'link'
 # (to create the third) must succeed.  Before the corresponding fix,
 # the first and third destination files would not be linked.
 #
-# Note that this is nominally a test of `cp', yet it is in the tests/mv
+# Note that this is nominally a test of 'cp', yet it is in the tests/mv
 # directory, because it requires use of the --preserve=link option that
 # mv enables by default.
 
diff --git a/tests/mv/hard-verbose b/tests/mv/hard-verbose
index f6c63852e..41c4187ea 100755
--- a/tests/mv/hard-verbose
+++ b/tests/mv/hard-verbose
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ ln x y || framework_failure_
 
 mv --verbose x y > out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-removed `x'
+removed 'x'
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/i-1 b/tests/mv/i-1
index b2eb59c22..20b6ad7b9 100755
--- a/tests/mv/i-1
+++ b/tests/mv/i-1
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/perl
-# Make sure a `n' reply to `mv -i...' aborts the move operation.
+# Make sure a 'n' reply to 'mv -i...' aborts the move operation.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2003, 2005-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ my $test_a = 'a';
 
 my @Tests =
     (
-     # Make sure a `n' reply to `mv -i...' aborts the move operation.
+     # Make sure a 'n' reply to 'mv -i...' aborts the move operation.
      [$test_a, '-i',
       {IN => {src => "a\n"}}, {IN => {dst => "b\n"}}, '<', {IN => "n\n"},
       {ERR => "mv: overwrite `dst'? "},
diff --git a/tests/mv/i-3 b/tests/mv/i-3
index 1851d42d8..050377d35 100755
--- a/tests/mv/i-3
+++ b/tests/mv/i-3
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure that `mv file unwritable-file' prompts the user
-# and that `mv -f file unwritable-file' doesn't.
+# Make sure that 'mv file unwritable-file' prompts the user
+# and that 'mv -f file unwritable-file' doesn't.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/mv/i-4 b/tests/mv/i-4
index b2222c778..5a95e9963 100755
--- a/tests/mv/i-4
+++ b/tests/mv/i-4
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# make sure `mv -i a b' does its job with a positive response
+# make sure 'mv -i a b' does its job with a positive response
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2005-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ case "`cat b`" in
   *) fail=1 ;;
 esac
 
-# Ensure that mv -i a b works properly with `n' and `y'
+# Ensure that mv -i a b works properly with 'n' and 'y'
 # responses, even when a and b are hard links to the same file.
-# This `n' test would fail (no prompt) for coreutils-5.0.1 through 5.3.0.
+# This 'n' test would fail (no prompt) for coreutils-5.0.1 through 5.3.0.
 echo n > n
 rm -f a b
 echo a > a
diff --git a/tests/mv/i-5 b/tests/mv/i-5
index 374c6beda..76cacabe3 100755
--- a/tests/mv/i-5
+++ b/tests/mv/i-5
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure `mv -i dir file' prompts before failing.
+# Make sure 'mv -i dir file' prompts before failing.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self b/tests/mv/into-self
index 1405b7fb6..87c2d8e40 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ sed \
   out > out2
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-XXX: cannot move `SRC' to a subdirectory of itself, `DEST'
+XXX: cannot move 'SRC' to a subdirectory of itself, 'DEST'
 EOF
 
 compare exp out2 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self-2 b/tests/mv/into-self-2
index ddbf2ec53..d5d921857 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self-2
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self-2
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ sed \
   out > out2
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-XXX: `ZZZ' and `YYY' are the same file
+XXX: 'ZZZ' and 'YYY' are the same file
 EOF
 #'
 
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self-3 b/tests/mv/into-self-3
index 1042d1364..ec7d02cc7 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self-3
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self-3
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ sed \
   out > out2
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-XXX: cannot move `ZZZ' to a subdirectory of itself, `ZZZ/ZZZ'
+XXX: cannot move 'ZZZ' to a subdirectory of itself, 'ZZZ/ZZZ'
 EOF
 
 compare exp out2 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self-4 b/tests/mv/into-self-4
index 717e12ea0..8df87a2cc 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self-4
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self-4
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# confirm that `mv symlink symlink' doesn't remove symlink
+# confirm that 'mv symlink symlink' doesn't remove symlink
 # Based on an example from David Luyer.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ ln -s file s || framework_failure_
 mv s s 2> /dev/null && fail=1
 
 # But the symlink, s, must not be removed.
-# Before 4.0.36, `s' would have been removed.
+# Before 4.0.36, 's' would have been removed.
 test -f s || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/part-fail b/tests/mv/part-fail
index ed74e02b5..f5d2bb3ee 100755
--- a/tests/mv/part-fail
+++ b/tests/mv/part-fail
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure we give a sensible diagnostic when a cross-device `mv'
+# Make sure we give a sensible diagnostic when a cross-device 'mv'
 # fails, e.g., because the destination cannot be unlinked.
 # This is a bit fragile since it relies on the string used
-# for EPERM: `permission denied'.
+# for EPERM: 'permission denied'.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2002, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ chmod u-w "$other_partition_tmpdir" || framework_failure_
 
 mv -f k "$other_partition_tmpdir" 2> out && fail=1
 printf \
-'mv: inter-device move failed: `%s'\'' to `%s'\'';'\
+'mv: inter-device move failed: '%s'\'' to '%s'\'';'\
 ' unable to remove target: Permission denied\n' \
   k "$other_partition_tmpdir/k" >exp
 
diff --git a/tests/mv/part-symlink b/tests/mv/part-symlink
index bb0ccaaad..82a82c674 100755
--- a/tests/mv/part-symlink
+++ b/tests/mv/part-symlink
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ cleanup_() { rm -rf "$other_partition_tmpdir"; }
 . "$abs_srcdir/other-fs-tmpdir"
 
 # On NFS on Linux 2.6.9 at least we get:
-# mv: preserving permissions for `rem_sl': Operation not supported
+# mv: preserving permissions for 'rem_sl': Operation not supported
 require_local_dir_
 
 pwd_tmp=`pwd`
 
-# Unset CDPATH.  Otherwise, output from the `cd dir' command
+# Unset CDPATH.  Otherwise, output from the 'cd dir' command
 # can make this test fail.
 (unset CDPATH) >/dev/null 2>&1 && unset CDPATH
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ test $fail = 1 &&
 
 cat <<\EOF > expected
 1 cp loc_reg rem_sl
- [cp: `loc_reg' and `rem_sl' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_reg' and 'rem_sl' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 0 cp --rem loc_reg rem_sl
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl)
@@ -165,57 +165,57 @@ cat <<\EOF > expected
 0 cp -bd loc_reg rem_sl
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl rem_sl~ -> dir/loc_reg)
 1 cp -d loc_reg rem_sl
- [cp: `loc_reg' and `rem_sl' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_reg' and 'rem_sl' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 
 1 cp rem_sl loc_reg
- [cp: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 1 cp --rem rem_sl loc_reg
- [cp: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 1 cp --rem -d rem_sl loc_reg
- [cp: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 1 cp --rem -b rem_sl loc_reg
- [cp: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 1 cp -b rem_sl loc_reg
- [cp: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 0 cp -bd rem_sl loc_reg
  (loc_reg -> dir/loc_reg loc_reg~) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
  symlink-loop
  symlink-loop
 1 cp -d rem_sl loc_reg
- [cp: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 
 1 cp loc_sl rem_reg
- [cp: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 1 cp --rem loc_sl rem_reg
- [cp: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 1 cp --rem -d loc_sl rem_reg
- [cp: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 1 cp --rem -b loc_sl rem_reg
- [cp: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 1 cp -b loc_sl rem_reg
- [cp: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 0 cp -bd loc_sl rem_reg
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg -> rem_reg rem_reg~)
  symlink-loop
  symlink-loop
 1 cp -d loc_sl rem_reg
- [cp: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 
 1 cp rem_reg loc_sl
- [cp: `rem_reg' and `loc_sl' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_reg' and 'loc_sl' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 0 cp --rem rem_reg loc_sl
  (loc_sl) (rem_reg)
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ cat <<\EOF > expected
 0 cp -bd rem_reg loc_sl
  (loc_sl loc_sl~ -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 1 cp -d rem_reg loc_sl
- [cp: `rem_reg' and `loc_sl' are the same file]
+ [cp: 'rem_reg' and 'loc_sl' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 
 0 mv loc_reg rem_sl
@@ -237,13 +237,13 @@ cat <<\EOF > expected
  () (rem_sl rem_sl~ -> dir/loc_reg)
 
 1 mv rem_sl loc_reg
- [mv: `rem_sl' and `loc_reg' are the same file]
+ [mv: 'rem_sl' and 'loc_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_reg) (rem_sl -> dir/loc_reg)
 0 mv -b rem_sl loc_reg
  (loc_reg -> dir/loc_reg loc_reg~) ()
 
 1 mv loc_sl rem_reg
- [mv: `loc_sl' and `rem_reg' are the same file]
+ [mv: 'loc_sl' and 'rem_reg' are the same file]
  (loc_sl -> rem_reg) (rem_reg)
 0 mv -b loc_sl rem_reg
  () (rem_reg -> rem_reg rem_reg~)
diff --git a/tests/mv/perm-1 b/tests/mv/perm-1
index 9bdc64e9a..b1c9842ea 100755
--- a/tests/mv/perm-1
+++ b/tests/mv/perm-1
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ chmod u-w no-write || framework_failure_
 
 mv no-write/dir . > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-mv: cannot move `no-write/dir' to `./dir': Permission denied
+mv: cannot move 'no-write/dir' to './dir': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart b/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart
index 348a31ad3..954cb8f0e 100755
--- a/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart
+++ b/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # A cross-partition move of a file in a sticky tmpdir and owned by
 # someone else would evoke an invalid diagnostic:
-# mv: cannot remove `x': Operation not permitted
+# mv: cannot remove 'x': Operation not permitted
 # Affects coreutils-6.0-6.9.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2007-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ esac
 setuidgid $NON_ROOT_USERNAME env PATH="$PATH" \
   mv t/root-owned "$other_partition_tmpdir" 2> out-t && fail=1
 
-# On some systems, we get `Not owner'.  Convert it.
-# On other systems (HPUX), we get `Permission denied'.  Convert it, too.
+# On some systems, we get 'Not owner'.  Convert it.
+# On other systems (HPUX), we get 'Permission denied'.  Convert it, too.
 onp='Operation not permitted'
 sed "s/Not owner/$onp/;s/Permission denied/$onp/" out-t > out
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-mv: cannot remove `t/root-owned': Operation not permitted
+mv: cannot remove 't/root-owned': Operation not permitted
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/vfat b/tests/mv/vfat
index 8ed334221..78b1ccc0a 100644
--- a/tests/mv/vfat
+++ b/tests/mv/vfat
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ cat <<\EOF
 Prior to 5.0.91, ...
 
 The problem:
-  On a VFAT file system with coreutils-5.0.90, `mv FOO foo' removes the
+  On a VFAT file system with coreutils-5.0.90, 'mv FOO foo' removes the
   sole copy of the file named by both the source and destination arguments.
 
 Demonstrate the problem, as root:
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ And in case you actually do the above, you can do this to clean up:
   cd /tmp && umount /tmp/mnt && rm -r 1 mnt
 
 Hey!  Can't create hard links on vfat.
-The above `ln' evokes an `operation not permitted' failure.
+The above 'ln' evokes an 'operation not permitted' failure.
 
-This demonstrates the same thing with file system type `umsdos'
+This demonstrates the same thing with file system type 'umsdos'
 No hard links:
 
 cd /tmp                                    \
diff --git a/tests/pr/pr-tests b/tests/pr/pr-tests
index 0cfca13b2..de1061225 100755
--- a/tests/pr/pr-tests
+++ b/tests/pr/pr-tests
@@ -308,9 +308,9 @@ my @tv = (
 ['13bb', '-t -n: -2 -e8', [\'t_tab'], [\'tn_2e8-t_tab'], 0],
 ['13bc', '-t -n: -2 -e8 -S----', [\'t_tab'], [\'tn_2e8S-t_tab'], 0],
 ['13bd', '-t -n -2 -e8 -o3', [\'t_tab'], [\'tn2e8o3-t_tab'], 0],
-# number-separator TAB not treated as input text-tab, no `-e' expansion
+# number-separator TAB not treated as input text-tab, no '-e' expansion
 ['13be', '-t -n -2 -e5 -o3', [\'t_tab'], [\'tn2e5o3-t_tab'], 0],
-# input-tab-char `:' not equal default (text) TABs
+# input-tab-char ':' not equal default (text) TABs
 ['13bf', '-t -n -2 -e:8', [\'t_tab_'], [\'tn2e8-t_tab'], 0],
 #
 # options -w/-s: POSIX-compliant, means adapting the interference of -w/-s
@@ -326,10 +326,10 @@ my @tv = (
 # columns, truncated = 60   /  no separator   (SunOS-BUG: line width to small):
 ['14e', '-2 -s -w60 -f', [\'t_notab'], [\'2sw60f-t_notab'], 0],
 # columns, truncated = 60   /  separator = `:'  (HP-UX.10.20-2-BUG:
-# `:' missing with -m option):
+# ':' missing with -m option):
 ['14f', '-2 -s: -w60 -f', [\'t_notab'], [\'2s_w60f-t_nota'], 0],
 #
-# new long-options -W/-S/-J disentangle those options (see also No.`10*')
+# new long-options -W/-S/-J disentangle those options (see also No.'10*')
 # columns, truncated = 72   /  no separator :
 ['14g', '-2 -S -f', [\'t_notab'], [\'2-Sf-t_notab'], 0],
 # full lines, no truncation /  separator = TAB :  (Input: -S"<TAB>")
diff --git a/tests/rm/cycle b/tests/rm/cycle
index 48e77c23e..5f1fb3a01 100755
--- a/tests/rm/cycle
+++ b/tests/rm/cycle
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ chmod u-w a/b
 
 rm -rf a a 2>&1 | sed 's/:[^:]*$//' > out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove `a/b/file'
-rm: cannot remove `a/b/file'
+rm: cannot remove 'a/b/file'
+rm: cannot remove 'a/b/file'
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/deep-1 b/tests/rm/deep-1
index fbda20b35..c3632dd62 100755
--- a/tests/rm/deep-1
+++ b/tests/rm/deep-1
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ k200=$k20$k20$k20$k20$k20$k20$k20$k20$k20$k20
 
 # Be careful not to exceed max file name length (usu 512?).
 # Doing so wouldn't affect GNU mkdir or GNU rm, but any tool that
-# operates on the full pathname (like `test') would choke.
+# operates on the full pathname (like 'test') would choke.
 k_deep=$k200$k200
 
 t=t
diff --git a/tests/rm/dir-no-w b/tests/rm/dir-no-w
index 74dfa0c13..0342956ba 100755
--- a/tests/rm/dir-no-w
+++ b/tests/rm/dir-no-w
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ mkdir --mode=0500 unwritable-dir || framework_failure_
 # For rm from coreutils-5.0.1, this would prompt.
 rm ---presume-input-tty unwritable-dir < /dev/null > out-t 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-rm: cannot remove `unwritable-dir': Is a directory
+rm: cannot remove 'unwritable-dir': Is a directory
 EOF
 
 # When run by a non-privileged user we get this:
-# rm: cannot remove directory `unwritable-dir': Is a directory
+# rm: cannot remove directory 'unwritable-dir': Is a directory
 # When run by root we get this:
-# rm: cannot remove `unwritable-dir': Is a directory
+# rm: cannot remove 'unwritable-dir': Is a directory
 # Normalize the message.
 sed 's/remove directory/remove/' out-t > out
 rm -f out-t
diff --git a/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur b/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur
index edd5d372a..8876e9458 100755
--- a/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur
+++ b/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Ensure that `rm dir' (i.e., without --recursive) gives a reasonable
+# Ensure that 'rm dir' (i.e., without --recursive) gives a reasonable
 # diagnostic when failing.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2005-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ mkdir d || framework_failure_
 
 rm d 2> out && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-rm: cannot remove `d': Is a directory
+rm: cannot remove 'd': Is a directory
 EOF
 
 # Before coreutils-5.93 this test would fail on Solaris 9 and newer.
diff --git a/tests/rm/empty-name b/tests/rm/empty-name
index 58fb8505d..192a60b4b 100755
--- a/tests/rm/empty-name
+++ b/tests/rm/empty-name
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 # On SunOS 4.1.3, running rm -r '' in a nonempty directory may
 # actually remove files with names of entries in the current directory
-# but relative to `/' rather than relative to the current directory.
+# but relative to '/' rather than relative to the current directory.
 
 use strict;
 
diff --git a/tests/rm/fail-2eperm b/tests/rm/fail-2eperm
index 511464e2b..56c27c438 100755
--- a/tests/rm/fail-2eperm
+++ b/tests/rm/fail-2eperm
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ case $rm_version in
 esac
 setuidgid $NON_ROOT_USERNAME env PATH="$PATH" rm -rf a 2> out-t && fail=1
 
-# On some systems, we get `Not owner'.  Convert it.
-# On other systems (HPUX), we get `Permission denied'.  Convert it, too.
+# On some systems, we get 'Not owner'.  Convert it.
+# On other systems (HPUX), we get 'Permission denied'.  Convert it, too.
 onp='Operation not permitted'
 sed "s/Not owner/$onp/;s/Permission denied/$onp/" out-t > out
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove `a/b': Operation not permitted
+rm: cannot remove 'a/b': Operation not permitted
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/fail-eacces b/tests/rm/fail-eacces
index 1a2d06bb7..947dfac36 100755
--- a/tests/rm/fail-eacces
+++ b/tests/rm/fail-eacces
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ test $ok = 1 || framework_failure_
 
 rm -rf d/f 2> out && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove `d/f': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'd/f': Permission denied
 EOF
 compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # This used to fail with ELOOP.
 rm -rf e 2> out && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove `e/slink': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'e/slink': Permission denied
 EOF
 compare exp out || fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/rm/i-no-r b/tests/rm/i-no-r
index d7d3c0186..8a3e76958 100755
--- a/tests/rm/i-no-r
+++ b/tests/rm/i-no-r
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Since the rewrite for fileutils-4.1.9, `rm -i DIR' would mistakenly
+# Since the rewrite for fileutils-4.1.9, 'rm -i DIR' would mistakenly
 # recurse into directory DIR.  rm -i (without -r) must fail in that case.
 # Fixed in coreutils-4.5.2.
 
diff --git a/tests/rm/inaccessible b/tests/rm/inaccessible
index 2bcdc11d9..517a384f9 100755
--- a/tests/rm/inaccessible
+++ b/tests/rm/inaccessible
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ test -d "$p/abs1" && fail=1
 test -d "$p/abs2" && fail=1
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-rm: cannot remove `rel': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'rel': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 # AIX 4.3.3 fails with a different diagnostic.
diff --git a/tests/rm/interactive-always b/tests/rm/interactive-always
index 99aedbbf7..41c8f4131 100755
--- a/tests/rm/interactive-always
+++ b/tests/rm/interactive-always
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ cat <<\EOF > expout || fail=1
 EOF
 sed 's/@remove_empty/rm: remove regular empty file/g' <<\EOF > experr || fail=1
 no WHEN
-@remove_empty `file1-1'? @remove_empty `file1-2'? .
+@remove_empty 'file1-1'? @remove_empty 'file1-2'? .
 WHEN=never
 .
 WHEN=once
 rm: remove all arguments recursively? .
 WHEN=always
-@remove_empty `file4-1'? @remove_empty `file4-2'? .
+@remove_empty 'file4-1'? @remove_empty 'file4-2'? .
 -f overrides --interactive
 .
 --interactive overrides -f
diff --git a/tests/rm/isatty b/tests/rm/isatty
index 3b7d1b39d..b1e558b66 100755
--- a/tests/rm/isatty
+++ b/tests/rm/isatty
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure `chown 0 f; rm f' prompts before removing f.
+# Make sure 'chown 0 f; rm f' prompts before removing f.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -39,14 +39,14 @@ test -f f || fail=1
 
 kill $pid > /dev/null 2>&1
 
-# Note the trailing `x' -- so I don't have to have a trailing
+# Note the trailing 'x' -- so I don't have to have a trailing
 # blank in this file :-)
 cat > exp <<\EOF
-rm: remove write-protected regular empty file `f'? x
+rm: remove write-protected regular empty file 'f'? x
 EOF
 #`
 
-# Append an `x' and a newline.
+# Append an 'x' and a newline.
 echo x >> out
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/no-give-up b/tests/rm/no-give-up
index d0ff23748..690c5b617 100755
--- a/tests/rm/no-give-up
+++ b/tests/rm/no-give-up
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# With rm from coreutils-5.2.1 and earlier, `rm -r' would mistakenly
+# With rm from coreutils-5.2.1 and earlier, 'rm -r' would mistakenly
 # give up too early under some conditions.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/rm/one-file-system b/tests/rm/one-file-system
index e9a5cf0c6..675c3fd0a 100755
--- a/tests/rm/one-file-system
+++ b/tests/rm/one-file-system
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ mount --bind $t a/b \
   || skip_ "This test requires mount with a working --bind option."
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || framework_failure_
-rm: skipping `a/b', since it's on a different device
+rm: skipping 'a/b', since it's on a different device
 EOF
 
 
diff --git a/tests/rm/r-1 b/tests/rm/r-1
index 7d26280b6..97d0959c1 100755
--- a/tests/rm/r-1
+++ b/tests/rm/r-1
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ mkdir a a/a || framework_failure_
 > b || framework_failure_
 
 cat <<\EOF > $test.E || framework_failure_
-removed directory: `a/a'
-removed directory: `a'
-removed `b'
+removed directory: 'a/a'
+removed directory: 'a'
+removed 'b'
 EOF
 
 rm --verbose -r a b > $test.O || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/r-2 b/tests/rm/r-2
index 55c4807a0..0a588316b 100755
--- a/tests/rm/r-2
+++ b/tests/rm/r-2
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ mkdir t t/a t/a/b || framework_failure_
 
 # FIXME: if this fails, it's a framework failure
 cat <<\EOF | sort > t/E || framework_failure_
-removed directory: `t/a'
-removed directory: `t/a/b'
-removed `t/a/b/g'
-removed `t/a/f'
+removed directory: 't/a'
+removed directory: 't/a/b'
+removed 't/a/b/g'
+removed 't/a/f'
 EOF
 
 # Note that both the expected output (above) and the actual output lines
diff --git a/tests/rm/readdir-bug b/tests/rm/readdir-bug
index 591e91306..3835049ee 100755
--- a/tests/rm/readdir-bug
+++ b/tests/rm/readdir-bug
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ cd .. || framework_failure_
 
 
 # On a buggy system, this would fail with the diagnostic,
-# "cannot remove directory `b': Directory not empty"
+# "cannot remove directory 'b': Directory not empty"
 rm -rf b  || fail=1
 
 test -d b && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm1 b/tests/rm/rm1
index cde576adf..672f0f0a0 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm1
+++ b/tests/rm/rm1
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@ chmod u-w b/a || framework_failure_
 # This should fail.
 rm -rf b > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove directory `b/a/p': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove directory 'b/a/p': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 # On some systems, rm doesn't have enough information to
 # say it's a directory.
 cat <<\EOF > exp2
-rm: cannot remove `b/a/p': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'b/a/p': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 cmp out exp > /dev/null 2>&1 || {
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm2 b/tests/rm/rm2
index b1477a3d4..7bbdfeaba 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm2
+++ b/tests/rm/rm2
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ chmod u-x a/1 b || framework_failure_
 # Both of these should fail.
 rm -rf a b > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove `a/1': Permission denied
-rm: cannot remove `b': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'a/1': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'b': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp-solaris
-rm: cannot remove `a/1/2': Permission denied
-rm: cannot remove `b/3': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'a/1/2': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'b/3': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 cmp out exp > /dev/null 2>&1 \
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm3 b/tests/rm/rm3
index 17118d1fe..bf43f5e2d 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm3
+++ b/tests/rm/rm3
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ EOF
 # Both of these should fail.
 rm -ir z < in > out 2>&1 || fail=1
 
-# Given input like `rm: ...? rm: ...? ' (no trailing newline),
-# the `head...' part of the pipeline below removes the trailing space, so
+# Given input like 'rm: ...? rm: ...? ' (no trailing newline),
+# the 'head...' part of the pipeline below removes the trailing space, so
 # that sed doesn't have to deal with a line lacking a terminating newline.
 # This avoids a bug whereby some vendor-provided (Tru64) versions of sed
 # would mistakenly tack a newline onto the end of the output.
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm4 b/tests/rm/rm4
index 09c3b8305..63d8029d0 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm4
+++ b/tests/rm/rm4
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# ensure that `rm dir' fails without --recursive
+# ensure that 'rm dir' fails without --recursive
 
 # Copyright (C) 2002, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm5 b/tests/rm/rm5
index 947533433..2201ec469 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm5
+++ b/tests/rm/rm5
@@ -28,16 +28,16 @@ y
 EOF
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || framework_failure_
-rm: descend into directory `d'
-rm: remove directory `d/e'
-rm: remove directory `d'
+rm: descend into directory 'd'
+rm: remove directory 'd/e'
+rm: remove directory 'd'
 EOF
 
 
 rm -ir d < in > out 2>&1 || fail=1
 
-# Given input like `rm: ...? rm: ...? ' (no trailing newline),
-# the `head...' part of the pipeline below removes the trailing space, so
+# Given input like 'rm: ...? rm: ...? ' (no trailing newline),
+# the 'head...' part of the pipeline below removes the trailing space, so
 # that sed doesn't have to deal with a line lacking a terminating newline.
 # This avoids a bug whereby some vendor-provided (Tru64) versions of sed
 # would mistakenly tack a newline onto the end of the output.
diff --git a/tests/rm/sunos-1 b/tests/rm/sunos-1
index a6bf9ab97..8f1e74605 100755
--- a/tests/rm/sunos-1
+++ b/tests/rm/sunos-1
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 # On SunOS 4.1.3, running rm -r '' in a nonempty directory may
 # actually remove files with names of entries in the current directory
-# but relative to `/' rather than relative to the current directory.
+# but relative to '/' rather than relative to the current directory.
 
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
 print_ver_ rm
diff --git a/tests/rm/unread2 b/tests/rm/unread2
index 9b352d460..46fc98cd8 100755
--- a/tests/rm/unread2
+++ b/tests/rm/unread2
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ chmod u-r a
 # This should fail.
 rm -rf a > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
-rm: cannot remove `a': Permission denied
+rm: cannot remove 'a': Permission denied
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/v-slash b/tests/rm/v-slash
index 113a19ae3..2fae859b2 100755
--- a/tests/rm/v-slash
+++ b/tests/rm/v-slash
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ touch a/x || framework_failure_
 
 rm --verbose -r a/// > out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
-removed `a/x'
-removed directory: `a'
+removed 'a/x'
+removed directory: 'a'
 EOF
 
 compare exp out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rmdir/fail-perm b/tests/rmdir/fail-perm
index ae6f9abbc..7deba62ea 100755
--- a/tests/rmdir/fail-perm
+++ b/tests/rmdir/fail-perm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# For unwritable directory `d', `rmdir -p d d/e/f' would emit
+# For unwritable directory 'd', 'rmdir -p d d/e/f' would emit
 # diagnostics but would not fail.  Fixed in 5.1.2.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/rmdir/t-slash b/tests/rmdir/t-slash
index 94b6e2ed4..8c7052fac 100755
--- a/tests/rmdir/t-slash
+++ b/tests/rmdir/t-slash
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ mkdir dir || framework_failure_
 
 
 # Prior to coreutils-4.5.2, this would fail with the following:
-# rmdir: `dir': No such file or directory
+# rmdir: 'dir': No such file or directory
 rmdir -p dir/ || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/shell-or-perl b/tests/shell-or-perl
index 96a5f8c33..58c80e360 100644
--- a/tests/shell-or-perl
+++ b/tests/shell-or-perl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Run a test script of the coreutils test scripts, picking up the right
 # interpreter (i.e., perl or the shell) and the right flags for it (e.g.,
-# perl `-T' flag for perl scripts that must run in tainted mode).
+# perl '-T' flag for perl scripts that must run in tainted mode).
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2011-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 #
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ me=shell-or-perl
 fatal_ ()
 {
   echo "$me: $*" >&2
-  # Exit with status `99' to inform the testsuite harness that an
+  # Exit with status '99' to inform the testsuite harness that an
   # hard error occurred.
   exit 99
 }
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/F-vs-missing b/tests/tail-2/F-vs-missing
index 194b55943..fbdb53314 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/F-vs-missing
+++ b/tests/tail-2/F-vs-missing
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ check_tail_output()
 }
 
 # Wait up to 6.3s for tail to start with diagnostic:
-# tail: cannot open `missing/file' for reading: No such file or directory
+# tail: cannot open 'missing/file' for reading: No such file or directory
 tail_re='cannot open' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 || fail=1
 
 mkdir missing || fail=1
 (cd missing && echo x > file)
 
 # Wait up to 6.3s for this to appear in the output:
-# "tail: `...' has appeared;  following end of new file"
+# "tail: '...' has appeared;  following end of new file"
 tail_re='has appeared' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 ||
   { echo "$0: file: unexpected delay?"; cat out; fail=1; }
 
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/F-vs-rename b/tests/tail-2/F-vs-rename
index 7967296a2..53bc00dd3 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/F-vs-rename
+++ b/tests/tail-2/F-vs-rename
@@ -41,12 +41,12 @@ tail_re='^x$' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 || fail=1
 mv a b || fail=1
 
 # Wait 6.3s for this diagnostic:
-# tail: `a' has become inaccessible: No such file or directory
+# tail: 'a' has become inaccessible: No such file or directory
 tail_re='inaccessible' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 || fail=1
 
 echo x > a
 # Wait up to 6.3s for this to appear in the output:
-# "tail: `...' has appeared;  following end of new file"
+# "tail: '...' has appeared;  following end of new file"
 tail_re='has appeared' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 ||
   { echo "$0: a: unexpected delay?"; cat out; fail=1; }
 
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/assert b/tests/tail-2/assert
index 9632b104f..c34f90d77 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/assert
+++ b/tests/tail-2/assert
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 # This test fails with tail from textutils-2.0.
 # It would get something like this:
-#   tail: tail.c:718: recheck: Assertion `valid_file_spec (f)' failed.
+#   tail: tail.c:718: recheck: Assertion 'valid_file_spec (f)' failed.
 #   Aborted
 # due to a race condition in which a dev/inode pair is reused.
 
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ tail_pid=$!
 
 echo sleeping for 7 seconds...
 
-# Give the backgrounded `tail' a chance to start before removing foo.
-# Otherwise, without --retry, tail wouldn't try to open `foo' again.
+# Give the backgrounded 'tail' a chance to start before removing foo.
+# Otherwise, without --retry, tail wouldn't try to open 'foo' again.
 sleep 1
 
 rm -f foo
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/assert-2 b/tests/tail-2/assert-2
index 25ddb8b20..b8f099d5f 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/assert-2
+++ b/tests/tail-2/assert-2
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# This variant of `assert' would get a UMR reliably in 2.0.9.
-# Due to a race condition in the test, the `assert' script would get
+# This variant of 'assert' would get a UMR reliably in 2.0.9.
+# Due to a race condition in the test, the 'assert' script would get
 # the UMR on Solaris only some of the time, and not at all on Linux/GNU.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2000, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/big-4gb b/tests/tail-2/big-4gb
index 3bd53039e..171dd1bd7 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/big-4gb
+++ b/tests/tail-2/big-4gb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Demonstrate a bug in `tail -cN' when operating on files of size 4G and larger
+# Demonstrate a bug in 'tail -cN' when operating on files of size 4G and larger
 # Fixed in coreutils-4.5.2.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2002-2003, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/follow-name b/tests/tail-2/follow-name
index a615d799d..2ab1c0119 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/follow-name
+++ b/tests/tail-2/follow-name
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 print_ver_ tail
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp || framework_failure_
-tail: cannot open `no-such' for reading: No such file or directory
+tail: cannot open 'no-such' for reading: No such file or directory
 tail: no files remaining
 EOF
 
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/inotify-hash-abuse b/tests/tail-2/inotify-hash-abuse
index ee3a2a571..deec76d1b 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/inotify-hash-abuse
+++ b/tests/tail-2/inotify-hash-abuse
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ tail_re='^x$' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 || fail=1
 mv 1 f || fail=1
 
 # Wait 6.3s for this diagnostic:
-# tail: `1' has become inaccessible: No such file or directory
+# tail: '1' has become inaccessible: No such file or directory
 tail_re='inaccessible' retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 || fail=1
 
 # Trigger the bug.  Before the fix, this would provoke the abort.
 echo a > 1 || fail=1
 
 # Wait up to 2s for the buggy tail to die,
-# or for the "tail: `1' has appeared;  following end of new file" output
+# or for the "tail: '1' has appeared;  following end of new file" output
 for i in $(seq 10); do
   kill -0 $pid || break
   grep 'has appeared;' out > /dev/null && break
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/proc-ksyms b/tests/tail-2/proc-ksyms
index f4d8e8c27..e3577a85a 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/proc-ksyms
+++ b/tests/tail-2/proc-ksyms
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Prior to textutils-2.0.17, `tail /proc/ksyms' would segfault on Linux.
+# Prior to textutils-2.0.17, 'tail /proc/ksyms' would segfault on Linux.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2001, 2004, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/tail-n0f b/tests/tail-2/tail-n0f
index f5c2ec591..29448d986 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/tail-n0f
+++ b/tests/tail-2/tail-n0f
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure that `tail -n0 -f' and `tail -c0 -f' sleep
+# Make sure that 'tail -n0 -f' and 'tail -c0 -f' sleep
 # rather than doing what amounted to a busy-wait.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2003, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/wait b/tests/tail-2/wait
index 2b051fc6b..24764bd06 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/wait
+++ b/tests/tail-2/wait
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Make sure that `tail -f' returns immediately if a file doesn't exist
-# while `tail -F' waits for it to appear.
+# Make sure that 'tail -f' returns immediately if a file doesn't exist
+# while 'tail -F' waits for it to appear.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2003, 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ for inotify in ---disable-inotify ''; do
   timeout 1 tail -s0.1 -f $inotify here 2>tail.err
   test $? = 124 || fail=1
 
-  # `tail -F' must wait in any case.
+  # 'tail -F' must wait in any case.
 
   timeout 1 tail -s0.1 -F $inotify here 2>>tail.err
   test $? = 124 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/touch/60-seconds b/tests/touch/60-seconds
index 09c96091f..915a1d05d 100755
--- a/tests/touch/60-seconds
+++ b/tests/touch/60-seconds
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ echo 60.000000000 > exp || framework_failure_
 
 
 # Before coreutils-7.7, this would fail, complaining of
-# an `invalid date format'.  Specifying 60 seconds *is* valid.
+# an 'invalid date format'.  Specifying 60 seconds *is* valid.
 TZ=UTC0 touch -t 197001010000.60 f || fail=1
 
 stat --p='%.9Y\n' f > out || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/touch/empty-file b/tests/touch/empty-file
index 1431fb52d..2d4f4e98e 100755
--- a/tests/touch/empty-file
+++ b/tests/touch/empty-file
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 
 # Volker Borchert reported that touch 3.16r (and presumably all before that)
-# fails to work on SunOS 4.1.3 with `most of the recommended patches' when
+# fails to work on SunOS 4.1.3 with 'most of the recommended patches' when
 # the empty file is on an NFS-mounted 4.2 volume.
 
 . "${srcdir=.}/init.sh"; path_prepend_ ../src
diff --git a/tests/touch/not-owner b/tests/touch/not-owner
index 3aba5f0a0..63b8af249 100755
--- a/tests/touch/not-owner
+++ b/tests/touch/not-owner
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ skip_if_root_
 
 
 # Before fileutils-4.1, we'd get the following misleading
-# diagnostic instead of `...: Permission denied'.
-# touch: creating `/': Is a directory
+# diagnostic instead of '...: Permission denied'.
+# touch: creating '/': Is a directory
 touch / > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 
-# On SunOS4, EPERM is `Not owner'.
-# On some *BSD systems it's `Operation not permitted'.
+# On SunOS4, EPERM is 'Not owner'.
+# On some *BSD systems it's 'Operation not permitted'.
 # On a system where root file system is mounted read-only
-# it's `Read-only file system'.
+# it's 'Read-only file system'.
 for msg in 'Not owner' 'Operation not permitted' 'Permission denied' \
            'Read-only file system'; do
   cat > exp <<EOF