diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dyn.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dyn.ww
index 34ebf2ef..f04593d1 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dyn.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dyn.ww
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ fn d_basename(p: *u8) *u8 = {
 
 // ---- file slurp --------------------------------------------------------
 
-fn read_all_so(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
-	let fd: i32 = os.open(path_cs, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
+fn readallso(path: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
+	let fd: i32 = os.open(path, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
 	if (fd < 0) { return nil, 0u64; };
 	let n: i64 = os.filesize(fd);
 	if (n < 0i64) { os.close(fd); return nil, 0u64; };
@@ -137,11 +137,11 @@ fn read_all_so(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
 
 // ---- verdef helpers ----------------------------------------------------
 
-// vd_name_at — walk verdef records and return the name (as *u8 into
+// vdnameat — walk verdef records and return the name (as *u8 into
 // the .so's verstr buffer) for the entry whose vd_ndx == ndx. The name
 // is the first Verdaux's vda_name (subsequent auxes are predecessor
 // names). Returns nil if no entry matches.
-fn vd_name_at(buf: *u8, verdef_off: u64, verdef_size: u64,
+fn vdnameat(buf: *u8, verdef_off: u64, verdef_size: u64,
 		verstr: *u8, ndx: u16) *u8 = {
 	let off: u64 = 0u64;
 	for (off < verdef_size) {
@@ -162,10 +162,10 @@ fn vd_name_at(buf: *u8, verdef_off: u64, verdef_size: u64,
 
 // ---- entry points ------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
+export fn loadso(l: *lnk, path: *u8) i32 = {
 	let buf: *u8;
 	let blen: u64;
-	buf, blen = read_all_so(path_cs);
+	buf, blen = readallso(path);
 	if (buf == nil) {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: cannot read .so\n".ptr, 20u64);
 		return -1;
@@ -174,22 +174,22 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: short ELF\n".ptr, 14u64);
 		return -1;
 	};
-	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[1u64] != 69u8)  { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[2u64] != 76u8)  { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[3u64] != 70u8)  { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[4u64] != 2u8)   { return so_err("not ELFCLASS64"); };
+	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[1u64] != 69u8)  { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[2u64] != 76u8)  { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[3u64] != 70u8)  { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[4u64] != 2u8)   { return soerr("not ELFCLASS64"); };
 	if (d_u16(buf, EH_EMACHINE) != EM_X86_64_SO) {
-		return so_err("not amd64");
+		return soerr("not amd64");
 	};
 	if (d_u16(buf, EH_ETYPE) != ET_DYN_SO) {
-		return so_err("not ET_DYN");
+		return soerr("not ET_DYN");
 	};
 
 	let shoff: u64 = d_u64(buf, EH_SHOFF);
 	let shnum: u32 = d_u16(buf, EH_SHNUM): u32;
-	if (shoff == 0u64) { return so_err("stripped .so unsupported"); };
-	if (shnum == 0u32) { return so_err("stripped .so unsupported"); };
+	if (shoff == 0u64) { return soerr("stripped .so unsupported"); };
+	if (shnum == 0u32) { return soerr("stripped .so unsupported"); };
 
 	// Locate the four sections we care about.
 	let idx_dynsym:  i32 = -1;
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 		i += 1u32;
 	};
 	if (idx_dynsym < 0) {
-		return so_err("no .dynsym");
+		return soerr("no .dynsym");
 	};
 
 	let dynsym_sh: u64 = shoff + (idx_dynsym: u64) * SH_SIZE;
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 		};
 	};
 	if (soname_cs == nil) {
-		soname_cs = d_basename(path_cs);
+		soname_cs = d_basename(path);
 	};
 
 	// Versym is one u16 per dynsym entry.
@@ -277,9 +277,9 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 	};
 
 	// Build the lso. Exports are appended in dynsym order so
-	// l_so_provides_v's first-match semantics match the C version.
+	// soprovides_v's first-match semantics match the C version.
 	let so: *lso = amalloc(l.a, 64u64): *lso;
-	so.path = d_cstr_to_str(l.a, path_cs);
+	so.path = d_cstr_to_str(l.a, path);
 	so.soname = d_cstr_to_str(l.a, soname_cs);
 	so.exports = nil;
 	let tail: *lexport = nil;
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 						vername_cs = nil;
 					} else {
 						if (verstr != nil) {
-							let nm: *u8 = vd_name_at(buf, verdef_off, verdef_size, verstr, vidx);
+							let nm: *u8 = vdnameat(buf, verdef_off, verdef_size, verstr, vidx);
 							vername_cs = nm;
 						};
 					}; }; };
@@ -358,34 +358,34 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 	return 0;
 };
 
-fn so_err(msg: str) i32 = {
+fn soerr(msg: str) i32 = {
 	os.write(2, "w6l: ".ptr, 4u64);
 	os.write(2, msg.ptr, msg.len: u64);
 	os.write(2, "\n".ptr, 1u64);
 	return -1;
 };
 
-// l_so_provides — 1 if so exports name, 0 otherwise.
-export fn l_so_provides(so: *lso, name: str) i32 = {
+// soprovides — 1 if so exports name, 0 otherwise.
+export fn soprovides(so: *lso, name: str) i32 = {
 	if (so == nil) { return 0; };
 	let e: *lexport = so.exports;
 	for (e != nil) {
-		if (s_eq(e.name, name)) { return 1; };
+		if (streq(e.name, name)) { return 1; };
 		e = e.enext;
 	};
 	return 0;
 };
 
-// l_so_version — the version of so's export named `name`, or an empty
+// soversion — the version of so's export named `name`, or an empty
 // str (ptr=nil, len=0) if the export is unversioned or not present.
-export fn l_so_version(so: *lso, name: str) str = {
+export fn soversion(so: *lso, name: str) str = {
 	let result: str;
 	result.ptr = nil;
 	result.len = 0i32;
 	if (so == nil) { return result; };
 	let e: *lexport = so.exports;
 	for (e != nil) {
-		if (s_eq(e.name, name)) {
+		if (streq(e.name, name)) {
 			result.ptr = e.version.ptr;
 			result.len = e.version.len;
 			return result;
@@ -395,12 +395,4 @@ export fn l_so_version(so: *lso, name: str) str = {
 	return result;
 };
 
-fn s_eq(a: str, b: str) bool = {
-	if (a.len != b.len) { return false; };
-	let i: i32 = 0;
-	for (i < a.len) {
-		if (a[i] != b[i]) { return false; };
-		i += 1;
-	};
-	return true;
-};
+// `streq` lives in sym.ww — same bundle, single definition.
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dynout.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dynout.ww
index a952f706..5d5ddee1 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dynout.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/dynout.ww
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
 //   [dynamic_off]  .dynamic   (writable; covered by PT_DYNAMIC)
 //
 // cgen workaround notes:
-// - Two-level field assignments through pointers (e.g. r.sym.is_dyn = 1)
+// - Two-level field assignments through pointers (e.g. r.sym.isdyn = 1)
 //   silently fail in the current wwstage cgen. We bind the inner
-//   pointer to a local first: `let sym = r.sym; sym.is_dyn = 1;`
-// - Tuple returns of (i32, str) drop the str payload. l_so_version
+//   pointer to a local first: `let sym = r.sym; sym.isdyn = 1;`
+// - Tuple returns of (i32, str) drop the str payload. soversion
 //   returns a plain str instead.
 // - `def NAME: str = "...";` produces a bogus str (len ends up adding
 //   to an offset accumulator). We use a fn returning the literal.
@@ -175,19 +175,19 @@ fn str_eq_d(a: str, b: str) bool = {
 
 // ---- main entry --------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
+export fn emitdynelf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	let a: *arena = l.a;
-	let n: i32 = l.dyn_n;
+	let n: i32 = l.dynn;
 	let nu: u64 = n: u64;
 
 	// ---- collect dyn syms into a plt_idx-indexed array ----
 	let dynsyms: **lsym = amalloc(a, nu * 8u64): **lsym;
 	let s: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (s != nil) {
-		if (s.is_dyn != 0) {
-			if (s.plt_idx >= 0) {
-				if (s.plt_idx < n) {
-					dynsyms[s.plt_idx] = s;
+		if (s.isdyn != 0) {
+			if (s.pltidx >= 0) {
+				if (s.pltidx < n) {
+					dynsyms[s.pltidx] = s;
 				};
 			};
 		};
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 		let j: i32 = 0;
 		for (j < n) {
 			let dsm: *lsym = dynsyms[j];
-			let dl: *lso = dsm.dyn_lib;
+			let dl: *lso = dsm.dynlib;
 			if (dl == so) { used = 1; j = n; }
 			else { j += 1; };
 		};
@@ -254,10 +254,10 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 		let j: i32 = 0;
 		for (j < n) {
 			let dsm: *lsym = dynsyms[j];
-			let dl: *lso = dsm.dyn_lib;
+			let dl: *lso = dsm.dynlib;
 			if (dl == cur_so) {
 				let nm0: str = dsm.name;
-				let dv: str = l_so_version(cur_so, nm0);
+				let dv: str = soversion(cur_so, nm0);
 				if (dv.len > 0) {
 					has = 1; j = n;
 				} else { j += 1; };
@@ -270,10 +270,10 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 			let jj: i32 = 0;
 			for (jj < n) {
 				let dsm2: *lsym = dynsyms[jj];
-				let dl2: *lso = dsm2.dyn_lib;
+				let dl2: *lso = dsm2.dynlib;
 				if (dl2 == cur_so) {
 					let nm2: str = dsm2.name;
-					let vname: str = l_so_version(cur_so, nm2);
+					let vname: str = soversion(cur_so, nm2);
 					if (vname.len > 0) {
 						let seen: i32 = 0;
 						let k: i32 = 0;
@@ -387,9 +387,9 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	pi = 0;
 	for (pi < n) {
 		let dsm3: *lsym = dynsyms[pi];
-		let dl3: *lso = dsm3.dyn_lib;
+		let dl3: *lso = dsm3.dynlib;
 		let nm3: str = dsm3.name;
-		let vname: str = l_so_version(dl3, nm3);
+		let vname: str = soversion(dl3, nm3);
 		if (vname.len == 0) {
 			d_wr16(versym_for, (pi: u64) * 2u64, VER_NDX_GLOBAL_D);
 		} else {
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	for (r != nil) {
 		if (r.sym != nil) {
 			let rsym: *lsym = r.sym;
-			if (rsym.is_dyn != 0) {
+			if (rsym.isdyn != 0) {
 				if (r.kind != R_X86_64_PC32_D) {
 					if (r.kind != R_X86_64_PLT32_D) {
 						os.write(2, "w6l: dynamic reloc kind unsupported\n".ptr, 35u64);
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 					};
 				};
 				let site: u64 = text_va + r.off;
-				let stub: u64 = plt_va + (rsym.plt_idx: u64) * PLT_STUB_BYTES_D;
+				let stub: u64 = plt_va + (rsym.pltidx: u64) * PLT_STUB_BYTES_D;
 				let disp: i64 = (stub: i64) - (site: i64) + r.addend;
 				d_wr32(l.text, r.off, (disp: i32): u32);
 			};
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.combined.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.combined.ww
index 25569435..15e551f2 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.combined.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.combined.ww
@@ -322,20 +322,20 @@ export fn freearena(a: *arena) void = {
 use mem;
 
 type lsym = struct {
-	name:         str,
-	val:          u64,	// offset within combined .text once linked
-	defined:      i32,	// 1 if some lobj defines this symbol
-	owner:        *lobj,
-	idx_in_owner: i32,
-	// Dynamic-linking fields. Set by l_resolve when an undefined sym
-	// is provided by some loaded lso. plt_idx and dynsym_idx default
-	// to -1 (set explicitly by l_resolve, not by amalloc-zeroing).
-	is_dyn:       i32,
-	dyn_lib:      *lso,
-	dyn_version:  str,	// matched export's version; len 0 if none
-	plt_idx:      i32,
-	dynsym_idx:   i32,
-	snext:        *lsym,
+	name:        str,
+	val:         u64,	// offset within combined .text once linked
+	defined:     i32,	// 1 if some lobj defines this symbol
+	owner:       *lobj,
+	idxinowner:  i32,
+	// Dynamic-linking fields. Set by resolve when an undefined sym
+	// is provided by some loaded lso. pltidx and dynsymidx default
+	// to -1 (set explicitly by resolve, not by amalloc-zeroing).
+	isdyn:       i32,
+	dynlib:      *lso,
+	dynversion:  str,	// matched export's version; len 0 if none
+	pltidx:      i32,
+	dynsymidx:   i32,
+	snext:       *lsym,
 };
 
 type lrel = struct {
@@ -347,17 +347,17 @@ type lrel = struct {
 };
 
 type lobj = struct {
-	path:      str,
-	buf:       *u8,	// object bytes
-	len:       u64,
-	text_off:  u64,	// offset of .text in combined output
-	text_size: u64,
-	onext:     *lobj,
+	path:     str,
+	buf:      *u8,	// object bytes
+	len:      u64,
+	textoff:  u64,	// offset of .text in combined output
+	textsize: u64,
+	onext:    *lobj,
 };
 
 // lexport — one entry per GLOBAL/WEAK symbol exported by a loaded .so.
 // Stored as a chain in the order the .so's dynsym presents them, so
-// l_so_provides_v's first-match semantics agree with the C version.
+// soprovides_v's first-match semantics agree with the C version.
 type lexport = struct {
 	name:    str,
 	version: str,	// len 0 for unversioned globals
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ type lnk = struct {
 	textcap: u64,
 	textlen: u64,
 	errs:    i32,
-	dyn_n:   i32,	// number of syms routed through PLT
+	dynn:    i32,	// number of syms routed through PLT
 };
 
 fn streq(a: str, b: str) bool = {
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ fn streq(a: str, b: str) bool = {
 	return true;
 };
 
-export fn l_intern(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
+export fn intern(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
 	let s: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (s != nil) {
 		if (streq(s.name, name)) { return s; };
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ export fn l_intern(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
 	return n;
 };
 
-export fn l_lookup(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
+export fn lookup(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
 	let s: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (s != nil) {
 		if (streq(s.name, name)) { return s; };
@@ -493,8 +493,8 @@ def RELA_ADDEND:   u64 = 16u64;
 
 // ---- file slurp --------------------------------------------------------
 
-fn read_all(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
-	let fd: i32 = os.open(path_cs, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
+fn readall(path: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
+	let fd: i32 = os.open(path, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
 	if (fd < 0) { return nil, 0u64; };
 	let n: i64 = os.filesize(fd);
 	if (n < 0i64) { os.close(fd); return nil, 0u64; };
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ fn read_all(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
 
 // ---- text buffer growth ------------------------------------------------
 
-fn emit_text(l: *lnk, src: *u8, n: u64) void = {
+fn emittext(l: *lnk, src: *u8, n: u64) void = {
 	if (l.textlen + n > l.textcap) {
 		let nc: u64 = l.textcap;
 		if (nc == 0u64) { nc = 4096u64; };
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ fn cstrlen(p: *u8) u64 = {
 	return n;
 };
 
-fn cstr_eq(p: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
+fn cstreq(p: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
 	let n: u64 = lit.len: u64;
 	let i: u64 = 0u64;
 	for (i < n) {
@@ -552,8 +552,8 @@ fn cstr_eq(p: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
 	return true;
 };
 
-// Build a ww str from a NUL-terminated *u8 (for passing to l_intern).
-fn cstr_to_str(a: *arena, p: *u8) str = {
+// Build a ww str from a NUL-terminated *u8 (for passing to intern).
+fn cstrtostr(a: *arena, p: *u8) str = {
 	let n: u64 = cstrlen(p);
 	return astrndup(a, p, n);
 };
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ type armember = struct {
 	mnext:  *armember,
 };
 
-fn is_archive(p: *u8, len: u64) bool = {
+fn isarchive(p: *u8, len: u64) bool = {
 	if (len < 8u64) { return false; };
 	if (p[0u64] != 33u8)  { return false; };	// '!'
 	if (p[1u64] != 60u8)  { return false; };	// '<'
@@ -590,8 +590,8 @@ fn is_archive(p: *u8, len: u64) bool = {
 	return true;
 };
 
-// ar_field — parse a space-padded decimal integer of width n.
-fn ar_field(p: *u8, n: u64) u64 = {
+// arfield — parse a space-padded decimal integer of width n.
+fn arfield(p: *u8, n: u64) u64 = {
 	let v: u64 = 0u64;
 	let i: u64 = 0u64;
 	for (i < n) {
@@ -604,10 +604,10 @@ fn ar_field(p: *u8, n: u64) u64 = {
 	return v;
 };
 
-// elf_globals — return a linked list of names of globally-defined
+// elfglobals — return a linked list of names of globally-defined
 // (STB_GLOBAL) symbols whose section is `.text`. Names are arena
 // copies, so the source ELF buffer can be freed afterward.
-fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
+fn elfglobals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 	if (len < EHDR_SIZE) { return nil; };
 	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return nil; };
 	if (buf[1u64] != 69u8)  { return nil; };
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 		let sh_name: u32 = rd_u32(buf, sh_off + SHDR_NAME);
 		let nm: *u8 = shstr + (sh_name: u64);
 		if (sh_type == SHT_PROGBITS: u32) {
-			if (cstr_eq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
+			if (cstreq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
 		};
 		if (sh_type == SHT_SYMTAB: u32)  { idx_symtab = i: i32; };
 		i += 1u32;
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 				if ((st_shndx: i32) == idx_text) {
 					let nm_p: *u8 = strtab + (st_name: u64);
 					if (nm_p[0u64] != 0u8) {
-						let nm: str = cstr_to_str(a, nm_p);
+						let nm: str = cstrtostr(a, nm_p);
 						let de: *defent = amalloc(a, 32u64): *defent;
 						de.name = nm;
 						de.dnext = head;
@@ -676,13 +676,13 @@ fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 	return head;
 };
 
-// member_defines_undef — true if any of m's defined globals matches a
+// memberdefinesundef — true if any of m's defined globals matches a
 // currently-undefined symbol in the linker's symbol table. Names not
 // already interned are uninteresting (the link doesn't need them yet).
-fn member_defines_undef(l: *lnk, m: *armember) bool = {
+fn memberdefinesundef(l: *lnk, m: *armember) bool = {
 	let de: *defent = m.defs;
 	for (de != nil) {
-		let s: *lsym = l_lookup(l, de.name);
+		let s: *lsym = lookup(l, de.name);
 		if (s != nil) {
 			if (s.defined == 0) { return true; };
 		};
@@ -691,17 +691,17 @@ fn member_defines_undef(l: *lnk, m: *armember) bool = {
 	return false;
 };
 
-// load_archive — port of cmd/w6l/obj.c:load_archive.
+// loadarchive — port of cmd/w6l/obj.c:load_archive.
 //
 // Pass 1 indexes every regular member. Pass 2 iteratively pulls in any
 // member that supplies a currently-undefined symbol; each pull may
 // introduce fresh undefs, so we loop until quiescent.
-fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
+fn loadarchive(l: *lnk, path: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 	let head: *armember = nil;
 	let tail: *armember = nil;
 	let pos:  u64 = 8u64;	// past "!<arch>\n"
 	for (pos + 60u64 <= len) {
-		let hdr_size: u64 = ar_field(buf + pos + 48u64, 10u64);
+		let hdr_size: u64 = arfield(buf + pos + 48u64, 10u64);
 		let hdr_end:  u64 = pos + 60u64;
 		if (hdr_end + hdr_size > len) { break; };
 		let first: u8 = buf[pos];
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 				i += 1u64;
 			};
 			m.data = mb;
-			m.defs = elf_globals(l.a, mb, hdr_size);
+			m.defs = elfglobals(l.a, mb, hdr_size);
 			m.loaded = 0;
 			m.mnext = nil;
 			if (head == nil) { head = m; }
@@ -734,8 +734,8 @@ fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 		let m: *armember = head;
 		for (m != nil) {
 			if (m.loaded == 0) {
-				if (member_defines_undef(l, m)) {
-					if (load_image(l, path_cs, m.data, m.size) == 0) {
+				if (memberdefinesundef(l, m)) {
+					if (loadimage(l, path, m.data, m.size) == 0) {
 						m.loaded = 1;
 						changed = 1;
 					};
@@ -749,21 +749,21 @@ fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 
 // ---- main loader -------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_load(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
+export fn load(l: *lnk, path: *u8) i32 = {
 	let bufp: *u8;
 	let buflen: u64;
-	bufp, buflen = read_all(path_cs);
+	bufp, buflen = readall(path);
 	if (bufp == nil) {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: cannot read object\n".ptr, 23u64);
 		return -1;
 	};
-	if (is_archive(bufp, buflen)) {
-		return load_archive(l, path_cs, bufp, buflen);
+	if (isarchive(bufp, buflen)) {
+		return loadarchive(l, path, bufp, buflen);
 	};
-	return load_image(l, path_cs, bufp, buflen);
+	return loadimage(l, path, bufp, buflen);
 };
 
-fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
+fn loadimage(l: *lnk, path: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 	if (len < EHDR_SIZE) { return -1; };
 	// magic: 0x7f, 'E', 'L', 'F'
 	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return -1; };
@@ -792,11 +792,11 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 		let sh_name: u32 = rd_u32(buf, sh_off + SHDR_NAME);
 		let nm: *u8 = shstr + (sh_name: u64);
 		if (sh_type == SHT_PROGBITS: u32) {
-			if (cstr_eq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
+			if (cstreq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
 		};
 		if (sh_type == SHT_SYMTAB: u32)  { idx_symtab = i: i32; };
 		if (sh_type == SHT_RELA: u32) {
-			if (cstr_eq(nm, ".rela.text")) { idx_rela = i: i32; };
+			if (cstreq(nm, ".rela.text")) { idx_rela = i: i32; };
 		};
 		i += 1u32;
 	};
@@ -825,16 +825,16 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 
 	// Track this object.
 	let ob: *lobj = amalloc(l.a, 64u64): *lobj;
-	ob.path = cstr_to_str(l.a, path_cs);
+	ob.path = cstrtostr(l.a, path);
 	ob.buf = buf;
 	ob.len = len;
-	ob.text_off = l.textlen;
-	ob.text_size = text_size;
+	ob.textoff = l.textlen;
+	ob.textsize = text_size;
 	ob.onext = l.objs;
 	l.objs = ob;
 
 	// Append .text bytes to the combined image.
-	emit_text(l, buf + text_off, text_size);
+	emittext(l, buf + text_off, text_size);
 
 	// Walk symbols. We don't keep a per-object map[] of *lsym. Instead
 	// the reloc loop re-walks symtab and re-interns by name. Simpler
@@ -847,8 +847,8 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 		let st_value: u64 = rd_u64(buf, sym_p + SYM_VALUE);
 		let nm_p: *u8 = strtab + (st_name: u64);
 		if (nm_p[0u64] != 0u8) {
-			let nm: str = cstr_to_str(l.a, nm_p);
-			let gs: *lsym = l_intern(l, nm);
+			let nm: str = cstrtostr(l.a, nm_p);
+			let gs: *lsym = intern(l, nm);
 			if (st_shndx != 0u16) {
 				if ((st_shndx: i32) == idx_text) {
 					if (gs.defined != 0) {
@@ -857,8 +857,8 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 					} else {
 						gs.defined = 1;
 						gs.owner = ob;
-						gs.idx_in_owner = si: i32;
-						gs.val = ob.text_off + st_value;
+						gs.idxinowner = si: i32;
+						gs.val = ob.textoff + st_value;
 					};
 				};
 			};
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 			let r_sym_idx: u32 = (r_info >> 32u64): u32;
 			let r_kind:    i32 = ((r_info & 4294967295u64): u32): i32;
 			let nr: *lrel = amalloc(l.a, 48u64): *lrel;
-			nr.off = ob.text_off + r_off;
+			nr.off = ob.textoff + r_off;
 			nr.kind = r_kind;
 			nr.addend = r_addend: i64;
 			// Look up the referenced sym by name (re-walk symtab).
@@ -890,8 +890,8 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 				let s_name: u32 = rd_u32(buf, s_p + SYM_NAME);
 				let s_nm: *u8 = strtab + (s_name: u64);
 				if (s_nm[0u64] != 0u8) {
-					let nm: str = cstr_to_str(l.a, s_nm);
-					nr.sym = l_intern(l, nm);
+					let nm: str = cstrtostr(l.a, s_nm);
+					nr.sym = intern(l, nm);
 				};
 			};
 			nr.rnext = l.rels;
@@ -1028,8 +1028,8 @@ fn d_basename(p: *u8) *u8 = {
 
 // ---- file slurp --------------------------------------------------------
 
-fn read_all_so(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
-	let fd: i32 = os.open(path_cs, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
+fn readallso(path: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
+	let fd: i32 = os.open(path, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
 	if (fd < 0) { return nil, 0u64; };
 	let n: i64 = os.filesize(fd);
 	if (n < 0i64) { os.close(fd); return nil, 0u64; };
@@ -1042,11 +1042,11 @@ fn read_all_so(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
 
 // ---- verdef helpers ----------------------------------------------------
 
-// vd_name_at — walk verdef records and return the name (as *u8 into
+// vdnameat — walk verdef records and return the name (as *u8 into
 // the .so's verstr buffer) for the entry whose vd_ndx == ndx. The name
 // is the first Verdaux's vda_name (subsequent auxes are predecessor
 // names). Returns nil if no entry matches.
-fn vd_name_at(buf: *u8, verdef_off: u64, verdef_size: u64,
+fn vdnameat(buf: *u8, verdef_off: u64, verdef_size: u64,
 		verstr: *u8, ndx: u16) *u8 = {
 	let off: u64 = 0u64;
 	for (off < verdef_size) {
@@ -1067,10 +1067,10 @@ fn vd_name_at(buf: *u8, verdef_off: u64, verdef_size: u64,
 
 // ---- entry points ------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
+export fn loadso(l: *lnk, path: *u8) i32 = {
 	let buf: *u8;
 	let blen: u64;
-	buf, blen = read_all_so(path_cs);
+	buf, blen = readallso(path);
 	if (buf == nil) {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: cannot read .so\n".ptr, 20u64);
 		return -1;
@@ -1079,22 +1079,22 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: short ELF\n".ptr, 14u64);
 		return -1;
 	};
-	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[1u64] != 69u8)  { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[2u64] != 76u8)  { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[3u64] != 70u8)  { return so_err("not ELF"); };
-	if (buf[4u64] != 2u8)   { return so_err("not ELFCLASS64"); };
+	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[1u64] != 69u8)  { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[2u64] != 76u8)  { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[3u64] != 70u8)  { return soerr("not ELF"); };
+	if (buf[4u64] != 2u8)   { return soerr("not ELFCLASS64"); };
 	if (d_u16(buf, EH_EMACHINE) != EM_X86_64_SO) {
-		return so_err("not amd64");
+		return soerr("not amd64");
 	};
 	if (d_u16(buf, EH_ETYPE) != ET_DYN_SO) {
-		return so_err("not ET_DYN");
+		return soerr("not ET_DYN");
 	};
 
 	let shoff: u64 = d_u64(buf, EH_SHOFF);
 	let shnum: u32 = d_u16(buf, EH_SHNUM): u32;
-	if (shoff == 0u64) { return so_err("stripped .so unsupported"); };
-	if (shnum == 0u32) { return so_err("stripped .so unsupported"); };
+	if (shoff == 0u64) { return soerr("stripped .so unsupported"); };
+	if (shnum == 0u32) { return soerr("stripped .so unsupported"); };
 
 	// Locate the four sections we care about.
 	let idx_dynsym:  i32 = -1;
@@ -1112,7 +1112,7 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 		i += 1u32;
 	};
 	if (idx_dynsym < 0) {
-		return so_err("no .dynsym");
+		return soerr("no .dynsym");
 	};
 
 	let dynsym_sh: u64 = shoff + (idx_dynsym: u64) * SH_SIZE;
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 		};
 	};
 	if (soname_cs == nil) {
-		soname_cs = d_basename(path_cs);
+		soname_cs = d_basename(path);
 	};
 
 	// Versym is one u16 per dynsym entry.
@@ -1182,9 +1182,9 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 	};
 
 	// Build the lso. Exports are appended in dynsym order so
-	// l_so_provides_v's first-match semantics match the C version.
+	// soprovides_v's first-match semantics match the C version.
 	let so: *lso = amalloc(l.a, 64u64): *lso;
-	so.path = d_cstr_to_str(l.a, path_cs);
+	so.path = d_cstr_to_str(l.a, path);
 	so.soname = d_cstr_to_str(l.a, soname_cs);
 	so.exports = nil;
 	let tail: *lexport = nil;
@@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 						vername_cs = nil;
 					} else {
 						if (verstr != nil) {
-							let nm: *u8 = vd_name_at(buf, verdef_off, verdef_size, verstr, vidx);
+							let nm: *u8 = vdnameat(buf, verdef_off, verdef_size, verstr, vidx);
 							vername_cs = nm;
 						};
 					}; }; };
@@ -1263,34 +1263,34 @@ export fn l_load_so(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
 	return 0;
 };
 
-fn so_err(msg: str) i32 = {
+fn soerr(msg: str) i32 = {
 	os.write(2, "w6l: ".ptr, 4u64);
 	os.write(2, msg.ptr, msg.len: u64);
 	os.write(2, "\n".ptr, 1u64);
 	return -1;
 };
 
-// l_so_provides — 1 if so exports name, 0 otherwise.
-export fn l_so_provides(so: *lso, name: str) i32 = {
+// soprovides — 1 if so exports name, 0 otherwise.
+export fn soprovides(so: *lso, name: str) i32 = {
 	if (so == nil) { return 0; };
 	let e: *lexport = so.exports;
 	for (e != nil) {
-		if (s_eq(e.name, name)) { return 1; };
+		if (streq(e.name, name)) { return 1; };
 		e = e.enext;
 	};
 	return 0;
 };
 
-// l_so_version — the version of so's export named `name`, or an empty
+// soversion — the version of so's export named `name`, or an empty
 // str (ptr=nil, len=0) if the export is unversioned or not present.
-export fn l_so_version(so: *lso, name: str) str = {
+export fn soversion(so: *lso, name: str) str = {
 	let result: str;
 	result.ptr = nil;
 	result.len = 0i32;
 	if (so == nil) { return result; };
 	let e: *lexport = so.exports;
 	for (e != nil) {
-		if (s_eq(e.name, name)) {
+		if (streq(e.name, name)) {
 			result.ptr = e.version.ptr;
 			result.len = e.version.len;
 			return result;
@@ -1300,15 +1300,7 @@ export fn l_so_version(so: *lso, name: str) str = {
 	return result;
 };
 
-fn s_eq(a: str, b: str) bool = {
-	if (a.len != b.len) { return false; };
-	let i: i32 = 0;
-	for (i < a.len) {
-		if (a[i] != b[i]) { return false; };
-		i += 1;
-	};
-	return true;
-};
+// `streq` lives in sym.ww — same bundle, single definition.
 
 // selfhost/cmd/w6l/pass.ww — port of cmd/w6l/pass.c.
 //
@@ -1329,14 +1321,14 @@ use dyn;
 def R_X86_64_PC32:  i32 = 2;
 def R_X86_64_PLT32: i32 = 4;
 
-export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
+export fn resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 	// Initialise dynamic-linking sentinels. amalloc zeroes, so
-	// is_dyn/dyn_lib start clean — but plt_idx and dynsym_idx
+	// isdyn/dynlib start clean — but pltidx and dynsymidx
 	// must be -1, not 0.
 	let si: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (si != nil) {
-		si.plt_idx = -1;
-		si.dynsym_idx = -1;
+		si.pltidx = -1;
+		si.dynsymidx = -1;
 		si = si.snext;
 	};
 
@@ -1348,14 +1340,14 @@ export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 		if (r.sym != nil) {
 			if (r.sym.defined == 0) {
 				let sym: *lsym = r.sym;
-				if (sym.is_dyn == 0) {
+				if (sym.isdyn == 0) {
 					let so: *lso = l.sos;
 					for (so != nil) {
-						if (l_so_provides(so, sym.name) != 0) {
-							sym.is_dyn = 1;
-							sym.dyn_lib = so;
-							sym.plt_idx = l.dyn_n;
-							l.dyn_n += 1;
+						if (soprovides(so, sym.name) != 0) {
+							sym.isdyn = 1;
+							sym.dynlib = so;
+							sym.pltidx = l.dynn;
+							l.dynn += 1;
 							so = nil;	// break
 						} else {
 							so = so.sonext;
@@ -1372,7 +1364,7 @@ export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 	for (r2 != nil) {
 		if (r2.sym != nil) {
 			if (r2.sym.defined == 0) {
-				if (r2.sym.is_dyn == 0) {
+				if (r2.sym.isdyn == 0) {
 					os.write(2, "w6l: undefined reference to '".ptr, 28u64);
 					let nm: str = r2.sym.name;
 					os.write(2, nm.ptr, nm.len: u64);
@@ -1386,20 +1378,20 @@ export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 	return l.errs;
 };
 
-fn patch_u32(p: *u8, v: u32) void = {
+fn patchu32(p: *u8, v: u32) void = {
 	p[0] = (v & 255u32): u8;
 	p[1] = ((v >> 8u32) & 255u32): u8;
 	p[2] = ((v >> 16u32) & 255u32): u8;
 	p[3] = ((v >> 24u32) & 255u32): u8;
 };
 
-export fn l_relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
+export fn relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
 	let r: *lrel = l.rels;
 	for (r != nil) {
 		if (r.sym != nil) {
 			// Dynamic refs are patched later in dynout once the
 			// PLT vaddr is known.
-			if (r.sym.is_dyn != 0) {
+			if (r.sym.isdyn != 0) {
 				r = r.rnext;
 				continue;
 			};
@@ -1409,12 +1401,12 @@ export fn l_relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
 					let site: u64 = base + r.off;
 					let target: i64 = (base + r.sym.val): i64;
 					let rel: i64 = (target - site: i64) + r.addend;
-					patch_u32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
+					patchu32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
 				} else { if (k == R_X86_64_PLT32) {
 					let site: u64 = base + r.off;
 					let target: i64 = (base + r.sym.val): i64;
 					let rel: i64 = (target - site: i64) + r.addend;
-					patch_u32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
+					patchu32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
 				} else {
 					os.write(2, "w6l: unsupported reloc kind\n".ptr, 27u64);
 					l.errs += 1;
@@ -1451,10 +1443,10 @@ export fn l_relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
 //   [dynamic_off]  .dynamic   (writable; covered by PT_DYNAMIC)
 //
 // cgen workaround notes:
-// - Two-level field assignments through pointers (e.g. r.sym.is_dyn = 1)
+// - Two-level field assignments through pointers (e.g. r.sym.isdyn = 1)
 //   silently fail in the current wwstage cgen. We bind the inner
-//   pointer to a local first: `let sym = r.sym; sym.is_dyn = 1;`
-// - Tuple returns of (i32, str) drop the str payload. l_so_version
+//   pointer to a local first: `let sym = r.sym; sym.isdyn = 1;`
+// - Tuple returns of (i32, str) drop the str payload. soversion
 //   returns a plain str instead.
 // - `def NAME: str = "...";` produces a bogus str (len ends up adding
 //   to an offset accumulator). We use a fn returning the literal.
@@ -1603,19 +1595,19 @@ fn str_eq_d(a: str, b: str) bool = {
 
 // ---- main entry --------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
+export fn emitdynelf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	let a: *arena = l.a;
-	let n: i32 = l.dyn_n;
+	let n: i32 = l.dynn;
 	let nu: u64 = n: u64;
 
 	// ---- collect dyn syms into a plt_idx-indexed array ----
 	let dynsyms: **lsym = amalloc(a, nu * 8u64): **lsym;
 	let s: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (s != nil) {
-		if (s.is_dyn != 0) {
-			if (s.plt_idx >= 0) {
-				if (s.plt_idx < n) {
-					dynsyms[s.plt_idx] = s;
+		if (s.isdyn != 0) {
+			if (s.pltidx >= 0) {
+				if (s.pltidx < n) {
+					dynsyms[s.pltidx] = s;
 				};
 			};
 		};
@@ -1642,7 +1634,7 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 		let j: i32 = 0;
 		for (j < n) {
 			let dsm: *lsym = dynsyms[j];
-			let dl: *lso = dsm.dyn_lib;
+			let dl: *lso = dsm.dynlib;
 			if (dl == so) { used = 1; j = n; }
 			else { j += 1; };
 		};
@@ -1682,10 +1674,10 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 		let j: i32 = 0;
 		for (j < n) {
 			let dsm: *lsym = dynsyms[j];
-			let dl: *lso = dsm.dyn_lib;
+			let dl: *lso = dsm.dynlib;
 			if (dl == cur_so) {
 				let nm0: str = dsm.name;
-				let dv: str = l_so_version(cur_so, nm0);
+				let dv: str = soversion(cur_so, nm0);
 				if (dv.len > 0) {
 					has = 1; j = n;
 				} else { j += 1; };
@@ -1698,10 +1690,10 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 			let jj: i32 = 0;
 			for (jj < n) {
 				let dsm2: *lsym = dynsyms[jj];
-				let dl2: *lso = dsm2.dyn_lib;
+				let dl2: *lso = dsm2.dynlib;
 				if (dl2 == cur_so) {
 					let nm2: str = dsm2.name;
-					let vname: str = l_so_version(cur_so, nm2);
+					let vname: str = soversion(cur_so, nm2);
 					if (vname.len > 0) {
 						let seen: i32 = 0;
 						let k: i32 = 0;
@@ -1815,9 +1807,9 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	pi = 0;
 	for (pi < n) {
 		let dsm3: *lsym = dynsyms[pi];
-		let dl3: *lso = dsm3.dyn_lib;
+		let dl3: *lso = dsm3.dynlib;
 		let nm3: str = dsm3.name;
-		let vname: str = l_so_version(dl3, nm3);
+		let vname: str = soversion(dl3, nm3);
 		if (vname.len == 0) {
 			d_wr16(versym_for, (pi: u64) * 2u64, VER_NDX_GLOBAL_D);
 		} else {
@@ -2058,7 +2050,7 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	for (r != nil) {
 		if (r.sym != nil) {
 			let rsym: *lsym = r.sym;
-			if (rsym.is_dyn != 0) {
+			if (rsym.isdyn != 0) {
 				if (r.kind != R_X86_64_PC32_D) {
 					if (r.kind != R_X86_64_PLT32_D) {
 						os.write(2, "w6l: dynamic reloc kind unsupported\n".ptr, 35u64);
@@ -2066,7 +2058,7 @@ export fn l_emit_dyn_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 					};
 				};
 				let site: u64 = text_va + r.off;
-				let stub: u64 = plt_va + (rsym.plt_idx: u64) * PLT_STUB_BYTES_D;
+				let stub: u64 = plt_va + (rsym.pltidx: u64) * PLT_STUB_BYTES_D;
 				let disp: i64 = (stub: i64) - (site: i64) + r.addend;
 				d_wr32(l.text, r.off, (disp: i32): u32);
 			};
@@ -2196,31 +2188,31 @@ def TEXT_OFF: u64 = 4096u64;	// 0x1000
 
 // ---- little-endian byte writers ----------------------------------------
 
-fn wr_u16(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u16) void = {
+fn wru16(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u16) void = {
 	buf[off]         = (v & 255u16): u8;
 	buf[off + 1u64]  = ((v >> 8u16) & 255u16): u8;
 };
 
-fn wr_u32(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u32) void = {
+fn wru32(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u32) void = {
 	buf[off]         = (v & 255u32): u8;
 	buf[off + 1u64]  = ((v >> 8u32)  & 255u32): u8;
 	buf[off + 2u64]  = ((v >> 16u32) & 255u32): u8;
 	buf[off + 3u64]  = ((v >> 24u32) & 255u32): u8;
 };
 
-fn wr_u64(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u64) void = {
-	wr_u32(buf, off,        (v & 4294967295u64): u32);
-	wr_u32(buf, off + 4u64, ((v >> 32u64) & 4294967295u64): u32);
+fn wru64(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u64) void = {
+	wru32(buf, off,        (v & 4294967295u64): u32);
+	wru32(buf, off + 4u64, ((v >> 32u64) & 4294967295u64): u32);
 };
 
 // ---- emit ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_emit_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
+export fn emitelf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	// Dispatch: any loaded shared object plus any dynamic ref means
 	// we owe the loader a real PT_INTERP/PT_DYNAMIC binary.
 	if (l.sos != nil) {
-		if (l.dyn_n > 0) {
-			return l_emit_dyn_elf(l, fd, base, entry);
+		if (l.dynn > 0) {
+			return emitdynelf(l, fd, base, entry);
 		};
 	};
 
@@ -2237,29 +2229,29 @@ export fn l_emit_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	hdr[4u64] = ELFCLASS64;
 	hdr[5u64] = ELFDATA2LSB;
 	hdr[6u64] = EV_CURRENT: u8;
-	wr_u16(hdr, 16u64, ET_EXEC);		// e_type
-	wr_u16(hdr, 18u64, EM_X86_64_W);	// e_machine
-	wr_u32(hdr, 20u64, EV_CURRENT);		// e_version
-	wr_u64(hdr, 24u64, entry);		// e_entry
-	wr_u64(hdr, 32u64, 64u64);		// e_phoff = sizeof(Ehdr)
-	wr_u64(hdr, 40u64, 0u64);		// e_shoff
-	wr_u32(hdr, 48u64, 0u32);		// e_flags
-	wr_u16(hdr, 52u64, 64u16);		// e_ehsize
-	wr_u16(hdr, 54u64, 56u16);		// e_phentsize
-	wr_u16(hdr, 56u64, 1u16);		// e_phnum
-	wr_u16(hdr, 58u64, 0u16);		// e_shentsize
-	wr_u16(hdr, 60u64, 0u16);		// e_shnum
-	wr_u16(hdr, 62u64, 0u16);		// e_shstrndx
+	wru16(hdr, 16u64, ET_EXEC);		// e_type
+	wru16(hdr, 18u64, EM_X86_64_W);	// e_machine
+	wru32(hdr, 20u64, EV_CURRENT);		// e_version
+	wru64(hdr, 24u64, entry);		// e_entry
+	wru64(hdr, 32u64, 64u64);		// e_phoff = sizeof(Ehdr)
+	wru64(hdr, 40u64, 0u64);		// e_shoff
+	wru32(hdr, 48u64, 0u32);		// e_flags
+	wru16(hdr, 52u64, 64u16);		// e_ehsize
+	wru16(hdr, 54u64, 56u16);		// e_phentsize
+	wru16(hdr, 56u64, 1u16);		// e_phnum
+	wru16(hdr, 58u64, 0u16);		// e_shentsize
+	wru16(hdr, 60u64, 0u16);		// e_shnum
+	wru16(hdr, 62u64, 0u16);		// e_shstrndx
 
 	// --- Phdr (56 bytes) at offset 64 ---
-	wr_u32(hdr, 64u64, PT_LOAD);		// p_type
-	wr_u32(hdr, 68u64, PF_R | PF_X);	// p_flags
-	wr_u64(hdr, 72u64, 0u64);		// p_offset
-	wr_u64(hdr, 80u64, base);		// p_vaddr
-	wr_u64(hdr, 88u64, base);		// p_paddr
-	wr_u64(hdr, 96u64, filesz);		// p_filesz
-	wr_u64(hdr, 104u64, filesz);		// p_memsz
-	wr_u64(hdr, 112u64, TEXT_OFF);		// p_align
+	wru32(hdr, 64u64, PT_LOAD);		// p_type
+	wru32(hdr, 68u64, PF_R | PF_X);	// p_flags
+	wru64(hdr, 72u64, 0u64);		// p_offset
+	wru64(hdr, 80u64, base);		// p_vaddr
+	wru64(hdr, 88u64, base);		// p_paddr
+	wru64(hdr, 96u64, filesz);		// p_filesz
+	wru64(hdr, 104u64, filesz);		// p_memsz
+	wru64(hdr, 112u64, TEXT_OFF);		// p_align
 
 	// Write [0..0x1000) then .text.
 	let n1: i64 = os.writefull(fd, hdr, TEXT_OFF);
@@ -2296,17 +2288,7 @@ fn mklnk(a: *arena) *lnk = {
 	return l;
 };
 
-fn cstreq(a: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
-	let n: u64 = lit.len: u64;
-	let i: u64 = 0u64;
-	for (i < n) {
-		let li: i32 = i: i32;
-		if (a[i] != lit[li]) { return false; };
-		i += 1u64;
-	};
-	if (a[i] != 0u8) { return false; };
-	return true;
-};
+// `cstreq` lives in obj.ww — same bundle, single definition.
 
 // `cstrlen` lives in obj.ww — same bundle, single definition.
 
@@ -2549,12 +2531,12 @@ export fn main(argc: i32, argv: **u8) i32 = {
 	let l: *lnk = mklnk(a);
 
 	// Seed _start so libwwrt-style start.o is recognised as wanted.
-	l_intern(l, "_start");
+	intern(l, "_start");
 
 	// Load positional inputs first (preserving order).
 	let k: i32 = 0;
 	for (k < ninputs) {
-		if (l_load(l, inputs[k]) != 0) {
+		if (load(l, inputs[k]) != 0) {
 			return 1;
 		};
 		k += 1;
@@ -2573,19 +2555,19 @@ export fn main(argc: i32, argv: **u8) i32 = {
 			return 1;
 		};
 		if (isso(p) != 0) {
-			if (l_load_so(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
+			if (loadso(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
 		} else {
-			if (l_load(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
+			if (load(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
 		};
 		lf += 1;
 	};
 
-	if (l_resolve(l) != 0) { return 1; };
-	if (l_relocate(l, BASE + CODE_VA_OFF) != 0) { return 1; };
+	if (resolve(l) != 0) { return 1; };
+	if (relocate(l, BASE + CODE_VA_OFF) != 0) { return 1; };
 
-	let entrysym: *lsym = l_lookup(l, "_start");
-	if (entrysym == nil) { entrysym = l_lookup(l, "main"); }
-	else { if (entrysym.defined == 0) { entrysym = l_lookup(l, "main"); }; };
+	let entrysym: *lsym = lookup(l, "_start");
+	if (entrysym == nil) { entrysym = lookup(l, "main"); }
+	else { if (entrysym.defined == 0) { entrysym = lookup(l, "main"); }; };
 	if (entrysym == nil) {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: no _start or main symbol\n".ptr, 29u64);
 		return 1;
@@ -2603,7 +2585,7 @@ export fn main(argc: i32, argv: **u8) i32 = {
 	};
 
 	let entryva: u64 = BASE + CODE_VA_OFF + entrysym.val;
-	let rc: i32 = l_emit_elf(l, fd, BASE, entryva);
+	let rc: i32 = emitelf(l, fd, BASE, entryva);
 	os.close(fd);
 	return rc;
 };
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.ww
index 32685ea5..57ac898d 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/main.ww
@@ -23,17 +23,7 @@ fn mklnk(a: *arena) *lnk = {
 	return l;
 };
 
-fn cstreq(a: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
-	let n: u64 = lit.len: u64;
-	let i: u64 = 0u64;
-	for (i < n) {
-		let li: i32 = i: i32;
-		if (a[i] != lit[li]) { return false; };
-		i += 1u64;
-	};
-	if (a[i] != 0u8) { return false; };
-	return true;
-};
+// `cstreq` lives in obj.ww — same bundle, single definition.
 
 // `cstrlen` lives in obj.ww — same bundle, single definition.
 
@@ -276,12 +266,12 @@ export fn main(argc: i32, argv: **u8) i32 = {
 	let l: *lnk = mklnk(a);
 
 	// Seed _start so libwwrt-style start.o is recognised as wanted.
-	l_intern(l, "_start");
+	intern(l, "_start");
 
 	// Load positional inputs first (preserving order).
 	let k: i32 = 0;
 	for (k < ninputs) {
-		if (l_load(l, inputs[k]) != 0) {
+		if (load(l, inputs[k]) != 0) {
 			return 1;
 		};
 		k += 1;
@@ -300,19 +290,19 @@ export fn main(argc: i32, argv: **u8) i32 = {
 			return 1;
 		};
 		if (isso(p) != 0) {
-			if (l_load_so(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
+			if (loadso(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
 		} else {
-			if (l_load(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
+			if (load(l, p) != 0) { return 1; };
 		};
 		lf += 1;
 	};
 
-	if (l_resolve(l) != 0) { return 1; };
-	if (l_relocate(l, BASE + CODE_VA_OFF) != 0) { return 1; };
+	if (resolve(l) != 0) { return 1; };
+	if (relocate(l, BASE + CODE_VA_OFF) != 0) { return 1; };
 
-	let entrysym: *lsym = l_lookup(l, "_start");
-	if (entrysym == nil) { entrysym = l_lookup(l, "main"); }
-	else { if (entrysym.defined == 0) { entrysym = l_lookup(l, "main"); }; };
+	let entrysym: *lsym = lookup(l, "_start");
+	if (entrysym == nil) { entrysym = lookup(l, "main"); }
+	else { if (entrysym.defined == 0) { entrysym = lookup(l, "main"); }; };
 	if (entrysym == nil) {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: no _start or main symbol\n".ptr, 29u64);
 		return 1;
@@ -330,7 +320,7 @@ export fn main(argc: i32, argv: **u8) i32 = {
 	};
 
 	let entryva: u64 = BASE + CODE_VA_OFF + entrysym.val;
-	let rc: i32 = l_emit_elf(l, fd, BASE, entryva);
+	let rc: i32 = emitelf(l, fd, BASE, entryva);
 	os.close(fd);
 	return rc;
 };
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/obj.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/obj.ww
index 13915f3f..b65bd43c 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/obj.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/obj.ww
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ def RELA_ADDEND:   u64 = 16u64;
 
 // ---- file slurp --------------------------------------------------------
 
-fn read_all(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
-	let fd: i32 = os.open(path_cs, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
+fn readall(path: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
+	let fd: i32 = os.open(path, os.O_RDONLY, 0i32);
 	if (fd < 0) { return nil, 0u64; };
 	let n: i64 = os.filesize(fd);
 	if (n < 0i64) { os.close(fd); return nil, 0u64; };
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ fn read_all(path_cs: *u8) (*u8, u64) = {
 
 // ---- text buffer growth ------------------------------------------------
 
-fn emit_text(l: *lnk, src: *u8, n: u64) void = {
+fn emittext(l: *lnk, src: *u8, n: u64) void = {
 	if (l.textlen + n > l.textcap) {
 		let nc: u64 = l.textcap;
 		if (nc == 0u64) { nc = 4096u64; };
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ fn cstrlen(p: *u8) u64 = {
 	return n;
 };
 
-fn cstr_eq(p: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
+fn cstreq(p: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
 	let n: u64 = lit.len: u64;
 	let i: u64 = 0u64;
 	for (i < n) {
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ fn cstr_eq(p: *u8, lit: str) bool = {
 	return true;
 };
 
-// Build a ww str from a NUL-terminated *u8 (for passing to l_intern).
-fn cstr_to_str(a: *arena, p: *u8) str = {
+// Build a ww str from a NUL-terminated *u8 (for passing to intern).
+fn cstrtostr(a: *arena, p: *u8) str = {
 	let n: u64 = cstrlen(p);
 	return astrndup(a, p, n);
 };
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ type armember = struct {
 	mnext:  *armember,
 };
 
-fn is_archive(p: *u8, len: u64) bool = {
+fn isarchive(p: *u8, len: u64) bool = {
 	if (len < 8u64) { return false; };
 	if (p[0u64] != 33u8)  { return false; };	// '!'
 	if (p[1u64] != 60u8)  { return false; };	// '<'
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ fn is_archive(p: *u8, len: u64) bool = {
 	return true;
 };
 
-// ar_field — parse a space-padded decimal integer of width n.
-fn ar_field(p: *u8, n: u64) u64 = {
+// arfield — parse a space-padded decimal integer of width n.
+fn arfield(p: *u8, n: u64) u64 = {
 	let v: u64 = 0u64;
 	let i: u64 = 0u64;
 	for (i < n) {
@@ -186,10 +186,10 @@ fn ar_field(p: *u8, n: u64) u64 = {
 	return v;
 };
 
-// elf_globals — return a linked list of names of globally-defined
+// elfglobals — return a linked list of names of globally-defined
 // (STB_GLOBAL) symbols whose section is `.text`. Names are arena
 // copies, so the source ELF buffer can be freed afterward.
-fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
+fn elfglobals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 	if (len < EHDR_SIZE) { return nil; };
 	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return nil; };
 	if (buf[1u64] != 69u8)  { return nil; };
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 		let sh_name: u32 = rd_u32(buf, sh_off + SHDR_NAME);
 		let nm: *u8 = shstr + (sh_name: u64);
 		if (sh_type == SHT_PROGBITS: u32) {
-			if (cstr_eq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
+			if (cstreq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
 		};
 		if (sh_type == SHT_SYMTAB: u32)  { idx_symtab = i: i32; };
 		i += 1u32;
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 				if ((st_shndx: i32) == idx_text) {
 					let nm_p: *u8 = strtab + (st_name: u64);
 					if (nm_p[0u64] != 0u8) {
-						let nm: str = cstr_to_str(a, nm_p);
+						let nm: str = cstrtostr(a, nm_p);
 						let de: *defent = amalloc(a, 32u64): *defent;
 						de.name = nm;
 						de.dnext = head;
@@ -258,13 +258,13 @@ fn elf_globals(a: *arena, buf: *u8, len: u64) *defent = {
 	return head;
 };
 
-// member_defines_undef — true if any of m's defined globals matches a
+// memberdefinesundef — true if any of m's defined globals matches a
 // currently-undefined symbol in the linker's symbol table. Names not
 // already interned are uninteresting (the link doesn't need them yet).
-fn member_defines_undef(l: *lnk, m: *armember) bool = {
+fn memberdefinesundef(l: *lnk, m: *armember) bool = {
 	let de: *defent = m.defs;
 	for (de != nil) {
-		let s: *lsym = l_lookup(l, de.name);
+		let s: *lsym = lookup(l, de.name);
 		if (s != nil) {
 			if (s.defined == 0) { return true; };
 		};
@@ -273,17 +273,17 @@ fn member_defines_undef(l: *lnk, m: *armember) bool = {
 	return false;
 };
 
-// load_archive — port of cmd/w6l/obj.c:load_archive.
+// loadarchive — port of cmd/w6l/obj.c:load_archive.
 //
 // Pass 1 indexes every regular member. Pass 2 iteratively pulls in any
 // member that supplies a currently-undefined symbol; each pull may
 // introduce fresh undefs, so we loop until quiescent.
-fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
+fn loadarchive(l: *lnk, path: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 	let head: *armember = nil;
 	let tail: *armember = nil;
 	let pos:  u64 = 8u64;	// past "!<arch>\n"
 	for (pos + 60u64 <= len) {
-		let hdr_size: u64 = ar_field(buf + pos + 48u64, 10u64);
+		let hdr_size: u64 = arfield(buf + pos + 48u64, 10u64);
 		let hdr_end:  u64 = pos + 60u64;
 		if (hdr_end + hdr_size > len) { break; };
 		let first: u8 = buf[pos];
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 				i += 1u64;
 			};
 			m.data = mb;
-			m.defs = elf_globals(l.a, mb, hdr_size);
+			m.defs = elfglobals(l.a, mb, hdr_size);
 			m.loaded = 0;
 			m.mnext = nil;
 			if (head == nil) { head = m; }
@@ -316,8 +316,8 @@ fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 		let m: *armember = head;
 		for (m != nil) {
 			if (m.loaded == 0) {
-				if (member_defines_undef(l, m)) {
-					if (load_image(l, path_cs, m.data, m.size) == 0) {
+				if (memberdefinesundef(l, m)) {
+					if (loadimage(l, path, m.data, m.size) == 0) {
 						m.loaded = 1;
 						changed = 1;
 					};
@@ -331,21 +331,21 @@ fn load_archive(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 
 // ---- main loader -------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_load(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8) i32 = {
+export fn load(l: *lnk, path: *u8) i32 = {
 	let bufp: *u8;
 	let buflen: u64;
-	bufp, buflen = read_all(path_cs);
+	bufp, buflen = readall(path);
 	if (bufp == nil) {
 		os.write(2, "w6l: cannot read object\n".ptr, 23u64);
 		return -1;
 	};
-	if (is_archive(bufp, buflen)) {
-		return load_archive(l, path_cs, bufp, buflen);
+	if (isarchive(bufp, buflen)) {
+		return loadarchive(l, path, bufp, buflen);
 	};
-	return load_image(l, path_cs, bufp, buflen);
+	return loadimage(l, path, bufp, buflen);
 };
 
-fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
+fn loadimage(l: *lnk, path: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 	if (len < EHDR_SIZE) { return -1; };
 	// magic: 0x7f, 'E', 'L', 'F'
 	if (buf[0u64] != 127u8) { return -1; };
@@ -374,11 +374,11 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 		let sh_name: u32 = rd_u32(buf, sh_off + SHDR_NAME);
 		let nm: *u8 = shstr + (sh_name: u64);
 		if (sh_type == SHT_PROGBITS: u32) {
-			if (cstr_eq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
+			if (cstreq(nm, ".text")) { idx_text = i: i32; };
 		};
 		if (sh_type == SHT_SYMTAB: u32)  { idx_symtab = i: i32; };
 		if (sh_type == SHT_RELA: u32) {
-			if (cstr_eq(nm, ".rela.text")) { idx_rela = i: i32; };
+			if (cstreq(nm, ".rela.text")) { idx_rela = i: i32; };
 		};
 		i += 1u32;
 	};
@@ -407,16 +407,16 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 
 	// Track this object.
 	let ob: *lobj = amalloc(l.a, 64u64): *lobj;
-	ob.path = cstr_to_str(l.a, path_cs);
+	ob.path = cstrtostr(l.a, path);
 	ob.buf = buf;
 	ob.len = len;
-	ob.text_off = l.textlen;
-	ob.text_size = text_size;
+	ob.textoff = l.textlen;
+	ob.textsize = text_size;
 	ob.onext = l.objs;
 	l.objs = ob;
 
 	// Append .text bytes to the combined image.
-	emit_text(l, buf + text_off, text_size);
+	emittext(l, buf + text_off, text_size);
 
 	// Walk symbols. We don't keep a per-object map[] of *lsym. Instead
 	// the reloc loop re-walks symtab and re-interns by name. Simpler
@@ -429,8 +429,8 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 		let st_value: u64 = rd_u64(buf, sym_p + SYM_VALUE);
 		let nm_p: *u8 = strtab + (st_name: u64);
 		if (nm_p[0u64] != 0u8) {
-			let nm: str = cstr_to_str(l.a, nm_p);
-			let gs: *lsym = l_intern(l, nm);
+			let nm: str = cstrtostr(l.a, nm_p);
+			let gs: *lsym = intern(l, nm);
 			if (st_shndx != 0u16) {
 				if ((st_shndx: i32) == idx_text) {
 					if (gs.defined != 0) {
@@ -439,8 +439,8 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 					} else {
 						gs.defined = 1;
 						gs.owner = ob;
-						gs.idx_in_owner = si: i32;
-						gs.val = ob.text_off + st_value;
+						gs.idxinowner = si: i32;
+						gs.val = ob.textoff + st_value;
 					};
 				};
 			};
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 			let r_sym_idx: u32 = (r_info >> 32u64): u32;
 			let r_kind:    i32 = ((r_info & 4294967295u64): u32): i32;
 			let nr: *lrel = amalloc(l.a, 48u64): *lrel;
-			nr.off = ob.text_off + r_off;
+			nr.off = ob.textoff + r_off;
 			nr.kind = r_kind;
 			nr.addend = r_addend: i64;
 			// Look up the referenced sym by name (re-walk symtab).
@@ -472,8 +472,8 @@ fn load_image(l: *lnk, path_cs: *u8, buf: *u8, len: u64) i32 = {
 				let s_name: u32 = rd_u32(buf, s_p + SYM_NAME);
 				let s_nm: *u8 = strtab + (s_name: u64);
 				if (s_nm[0u64] != 0u8) {
-					let nm: str = cstr_to_str(l.a, s_nm);
-					nr.sym = l_intern(l, nm);
+					let nm: str = cstrtostr(l.a, s_nm);
+					nr.sym = intern(l, nm);
 				};
 			};
 			nr.rnext = l.rels;
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/out.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/out.ww
index 22c056f0..16c61750 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/out.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/out.ww
@@ -24,31 +24,31 @@ def TEXT_OFF: u64 = 4096u64;	// 0x1000
 
 // ---- little-endian byte writers ----------------------------------------
 
-fn wr_u16(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u16) void = {
+fn wru16(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u16) void = {
 	buf[off]         = (v & 255u16): u8;
 	buf[off + 1u64]  = ((v >> 8u16) & 255u16): u8;
 };
 
-fn wr_u32(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u32) void = {
+fn wru32(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u32) void = {
 	buf[off]         = (v & 255u32): u8;
 	buf[off + 1u64]  = ((v >> 8u32)  & 255u32): u8;
 	buf[off + 2u64]  = ((v >> 16u32) & 255u32): u8;
 	buf[off + 3u64]  = ((v >> 24u32) & 255u32): u8;
 };
 
-fn wr_u64(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u64) void = {
-	wr_u32(buf, off,        (v & 4294967295u64): u32);
-	wr_u32(buf, off + 4u64, ((v >> 32u64) & 4294967295u64): u32);
+fn wru64(buf: *u8, off: u64, v: u64) void = {
+	wru32(buf, off,        (v & 4294967295u64): u32);
+	wru32(buf, off + 4u64, ((v >> 32u64) & 4294967295u64): u32);
 };
 
 // ---- emit ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
-export fn l_emit_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
+export fn emitelf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	// Dispatch: any loaded shared object plus any dynamic ref means
 	// we owe the loader a real PT_INTERP/PT_DYNAMIC binary.
 	if (l.sos != nil) {
-		if (l.dyn_n > 0) {
-			return l_emit_dyn_elf(l, fd, base, entry);
+		if (l.dynn > 0) {
+			return emitdynelf(l, fd, base, entry);
 		};
 	};
 
@@ -65,29 +65,29 @@ export fn l_emit_elf(l: *lnk, fd: i32, base: u64, entry: u64) i32 = {
 	hdr[4u64] = ELFCLASS64;
 	hdr[5u64] = ELFDATA2LSB;
 	hdr[6u64] = EV_CURRENT: u8;
-	wr_u16(hdr, 16u64, ET_EXEC);		// e_type
-	wr_u16(hdr, 18u64, EM_X86_64_W);	// e_machine
-	wr_u32(hdr, 20u64, EV_CURRENT);		// e_version
-	wr_u64(hdr, 24u64, entry);		// e_entry
-	wr_u64(hdr, 32u64, 64u64);		// e_phoff = sizeof(Ehdr)
-	wr_u64(hdr, 40u64, 0u64);		// e_shoff
-	wr_u32(hdr, 48u64, 0u32);		// e_flags
-	wr_u16(hdr, 52u64, 64u16);		// e_ehsize
-	wr_u16(hdr, 54u64, 56u16);		// e_phentsize
-	wr_u16(hdr, 56u64, 1u16);		// e_phnum
-	wr_u16(hdr, 58u64, 0u16);		// e_shentsize
-	wr_u16(hdr, 60u64, 0u16);		// e_shnum
-	wr_u16(hdr, 62u64, 0u16);		// e_shstrndx
+	wru16(hdr, 16u64, ET_EXEC);		// e_type
+	wru16(hdr, 18u64, EM_X86_64_W);	// e_machine
+	wru32(hdr, 20u64, EV_CURRENT);		// e_version
+	wru64(hdr, 24u64, entry);		// e_entry
+	wru64(hdr, 32u64, 64u64);		// e_phoff = sizeof(Ehdr)
+	wru64(hdr, 40u64, 0u64);		// e_shoff
+	wru32(hdr, 48u64, 0u32);		// e_flags
+	wru16(hdr, 52u64, 64u16);		// e_ehsize
+	wru16(hdr, 54u64, 56u16);		// e_phentsize
+	wru16(hdr, 56u64, 1u16);		// e_phnum
+	wru16(hdr, 58u64, 0u16);		// e_shentsize
+	wru16(hdr, 60u64, 0u16);		// e_shnum
+	wru16(hdr, 62u64, 0u16);		// e_shstrndx
 
 	// --- Phdr (56 bytes) at offset 64 ---
-	wr_u32(hdr, 64u64, PT_LOAD);		// p_type
-	wr_u32(hdr, 68u64, PF_R | PF_X);	// p_flags
-	wr_u64(hdr, 72u64, 0u64);		// p_offset
-	wr_u64(hdr, 80u64, base);		// p_vaddr
-	wr_u64(hdr, 88u64, base);		// p_paddr
-	wr_u64(hdr, 96u64, filesz);		// p_filesz
-	wr_u64(hdr, 104u64, filesz);		// p_memsz
-	wr_u64(hdr, 112u64, TEXT_OFF);		// p_align
+	wru32(hdr, 64u64, PT_LOAD);		// p_type
+	wru32(hdr, 68u64, PF_R | PF_X);	// p_flags
+	wru64(hdr, 72u64, 0u64);		// p_offset
+	wru64(hdr, 80u64, base);		// p_vaddr
+	wru64(hdr, 88u64, base);		// p_paddr
+	wru64(hdr, 96u64, filesz);		// p_filesz
+	wru64(hdr, 104u64, filesz);		// p_memsz
+	wru64(hdr, 112u64, TEXT_OFF);		// p_align
 
 	// Write [0..0x1000) then .text.
 	let n1: i64 = os.writefull(fd, hdr, TEXT_OFF);
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/pass.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/pass.ww
index 94f90c9e..6126de3d 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/pass.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/pass.ww
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ use dyn;
 def R_X86_64_PC32:  i32 = 2;
 def R_X86_64_PLT32: i32 = 4;
 
-export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
+export fn resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 	// Initialise dynamic-linking sentinels. amalloc zeroes, so
-	// is_dyn/dyn_lib start clean — but plt_idx and dynsym_idx
+	// isdyn/dynlib start clean — but pltidx and dynsymidx
 	// must be -1, not 0.
 	let si: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (si != nil) {
-		si.plt_idx = -1;
-		si.dynsym_idx = -1;
+		si.pltidx = -1;
+		si.dynsymidx = -1;
 		si = si.snext;
 	};
 
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 		if (r.sym != nil) {
 			if (r.sym.defined == 0) {
 				let sym: *lsym = r.sym;
-				if (sym.is_dyn == 0) {
+				if (sym.isdyn == 0) {
 					let so: *lso = l.sos;
 					for (so != nil) {
-						if (l_so_provides(so, sym.name) != 0) {
-							sym.is_dyn = 1;
-							sym.dyn_lib = so;
-							sym.plt_idx = l.dyn_n;
-							l.dyn_n += 1;
+						if (soprovides(so, sym.name) != 0) {
+							sym.isdyn = 1;
+							sym.dynlib = so;
+							sym.pltidx = l.dynn;
+							l.dynn += 1;
 							so = nil;	// break
 						} else {
 							so = so.sonext;
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 	for (r2 != nil) {
 		if (r2.sym != nil) {
 			if (r2.sym.defined == 0) {
-				if (r2.sym.is_dyn == 0) {
+				if (r2.sym.isdyn == 0) {
 					os.write(2, "w6l: undefined reference to '".ptr, 28u64);
 					let nm: str = r2.sym.name;
 					os.write(2, nm.ptr, nm.len: u64);
@@ -74,20 +74,20 @@ export fn l_resolve(l: *lnk) i32 = {
 	return l.errs;
 };
 
-fn patch_u32(p: *u8, v: u32) void = {
+fn patchu32(p: *u8, v: u32) void = {
 	p[0] = (v & 255u32): u8;
 	p[1] = ((v >> 8u32) & 255u32): u8;
 	p[2] = ((v >> 16u32) & 255u32): u8;
 	p[3] = ((v >> 24u32) & 255u32): u8;
 };
 
-export fn l_relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
+export fn relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
 	let r: *lrel = l.rels;
 	for (r != nil) {
 		if (r.sym != nil) {
 			// Dynamic refs are patched later in dynout once the
 			// PLT vaddr is known.
-			if (r.sym.is_dyn != 0) {
+			if (r.sym.isdyn != 0) {
 				r = r.rnext;
 				continue;
 			};
@@ -97,12 +97,12 @@ export fn l_relocate(l: *lnk, base: u64) i32 = {
 					let site: u64 = base + r.off;
 					let target: i64 = (base + r.sym.val): i64;
 					let rel: i64 = (target - site: i64) + r.addend;
-					patch_u32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
+					patchu32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
 				} else { if (k == R_X86_64_PLT32) {
 					let site: u64 = base + r.off;
 					let target: i64 = (base + r.sym.val): i64;
 					let rel: i64 = (target - site: i64) + r.addend;
-					patch_u32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
+					patchu32(l.text + r.off, rel: u32);
 				} else {
 					os.write(2, "w6l: unsupported reloc kind\n".ptr, 27u64);
 					l.errs += 1;
diff --git a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/sym.ww b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/sym.ww
index fd0ba195..d048297d 100644
--- a/selfhost/cmd/w6l/sym.ww
+++ b/selfhost/cmd/w6l/sym.ww
@@ -6,20 +6,20 @@
 use mem;
 
 type lsym = struct {
-	name:         str,
-	val:          u64,	// offset within combined .text once linked
-	defined:      i32,	// 1 if some lobj defines this symbol
-	owner:        *lobj,
-	idx_in_owner: i32,
-	// Dynamic-linking fields. Set by l_resolve when an undefined sym
-	// is provided by some loaded lso. plt_idx and dynsym_idx default
-	// to -1 (set explicitly by l_resolve, not by amalloc-zeroing).
-	is_dyn:       i32,
-	dyn_lib:      *lso,
-	dyn_version:  str,	// matched export's version; len 0 if none
-	plt_idx:      i32,
-	dynsym_idx:   i32,
-	snext:        *lsym,
+	name:        str,
+	val:         u64,	// offset within combined .text once linked
+	defined:     i32,	// 1 if some lobj defines this symbol
+	owner:       *lobj,
+	idxinowner:  i32,
+	// Dynamic-linking fields. Set by resolve when an undefined sym
+	// is provided by some loaded lso. pltidx and dynsymidx default
+	// to -1 (set explicitly by resolve, not by amalloc-zeroing).
+	isdyn:       i32,
+	dynlib:      *lso,
+	dynversion:  str,	// matched export's version; len 0 if none
+	pltidx:      i32,
+	dynsymidx:   i32,
+	snext:       *lsym,
 };
 
 type lrel = struct {
@@ -31,17 +31,17 @@ type lrel = struct {
 };
 
 type lobj = struct {
-	path:      str,
-	buf:       *u8,	// object bytes
-	len:       u64,
-	text_off:  u64,	// offset of .text in combined output
-	text_size: u64,
-	onext:     *lobj,
+	path:     str,
+	buf:      *u8,	// object bytes
+	len:      u64,
+	textoff:  u64,	// offset of .text in combined output
+	textsize: u64,
+	onext:    *lobj,
 };
 
 // lexport — one entry per GLOBAL/WEAK symbol exported by a loaded .so.
 // Stored as a chain in the order the .so's dynsym presents them, so
-// l_so_provides_v's first-match semantics agree with the C version.
+// soprovides_v's first-match semantics agree with the C version.
 type lexport = struct {
 	name:    str,
 	version: str,	// len 0 for unversioned globals
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ type lnk = struct {
 	textcap: u64,
 	textlen: u64,
 	errs:    i32,
-	dyn_n:   i32,	// number of syms routed through PLT
+	dynn:    i32,	// number of syms routed through PLT
 };
 
 fn streq(a: str, b: str) bool = {
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ fn streq(a: str, b: str) bool = {
 	return true;
 };
 
-export fn l_intern(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
+export fn intern(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
 	let s: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (s != nil) {
 		if (streq(s.name, name)) { return s; };
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export fn l_intern(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
 	return n;
 };
 
-export fn l_lookup(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
+export fn lookup(l: *lnk, name: str) *lsym = {
 	let s: *lsym = l.syms;
 	for (s != nil) {
 		if (streq(s.name, name)) { return s; };