tests: more automated quote adjustment

Relax initial regexp to match more instances, but add a
filter to avoid some invalid conversions.  Run this:

git grep -l "\`[^']*'" tests | xargs perl -pi -e '$q=q"'\''";' \
  -e '$q="$q\\$q$q"; /(= ?\`|\`expr|\`echo|\Q$q\E)/ and next;' \
  -e ' s/\`([^'\''"]*?'\'')/'\''$1/g'
The last disjunct in the above (...) filter is to exempt
any line that contains this string: '\''
With quoting like that, converting a ` to ' is likely to cause trouble,
so we'll handle those manually.  Here are three examples where
the exemption is required:

  *': `link-to-dir/'\'': hard link not allowed for directory'*) ;;
  printf 'creating file `%s'\''\n' $f
  'mv: inter-device move failed: `%s'\'' to `%s'\'';'\

29 files changed, 71 insertions, 71 deletions

diff --git a/tests/misc/basename b/tests/misc/basename
index 349aac8f5..fefe58c79 100755
--- a/tests/misc/basename
+++ b/tests/misc/basename
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ my @Tests =
     (
      ['fail-1', {ERR => "$prog: missing operand\n"
        . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}, {EXIT => '1'}],
-     ['fail-2', qw(a b c), {ERR => "$prog: extra operand `c'\n"
+     ['fail-2', qw(a b c), {ERR => "$prog: extra operand 'c'\n"
        . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}, {EXIT => '1'}],
 
      ['a', qw(d/f),        {OUT => 'f'}],
diff --git a/tests/misc/cat-proc b/tests/misc/cat-proc
index 99e064bf9..082c727e0 100755
--- a/tests/misc/cat-proc
+++ b/tests/misc/cat-proc
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# Ensure that cat -E produces same output as cat, module `$'s,
+# Ensure that cat -E produces same output as cat, module '$'s,
 # even when applied to a file in /proc.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2006-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/misc/comm b/tests/misc/comm
index c727f80fc..905b5f862 100755
--- a/tests/misc/comm
+++ b/tests/misc/comm
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
    # invalid missing command line argument (1)
    ['missing-arg1', $inputs[0], {EXIT=>1},
-    {ERR => "$prog: missing operand after `a'\n"
+    {ERR => "$prog: missing operand after 'a'\n"
         . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}],
 
    # invalid missing command line argument (both)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
    # invalid extra command line argument
    ['extra-arg', @inputs, 'no-such', {EXIT=>1},
-    {ERR => "$prog: extra operand `no-such'\n"
+    {ERR => "$prog: extra operand 'no-such'\n"
         . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}],
 
    # out-of-order input
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
    # invalid empty delimiter
    ['delim-empty', '--output-delimiter=', @inputs, {EXIT=>1},
-    {ERR => "$prog: empty `--output-delimiter' not allowed\n"}],
+    {ERR => "$prog: empty '--output-delimiter' not allowed\n"}],
 
    # invalid dual delimiter
    ['delim-dual', '--output-delimiter=,', '--output-delimiter=+',
diff --git a/tests/misc/date-sec b/tests/misc/date-sec
index b36b6759f..32463cf39 100755
--- a/tests/misc/date-sec
+++ b/tests/misc/date-sec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Ensure that a command like
-# `date --date="21:04 +0100" +%S' always prints `00'.
+# `date --date="21:04 +0100" +%S' always prints '00'.
 # Before coreutils-5.2.1, it would print the seconds from the current time.
 
 # Copyright (C) 2004, 2006, 2008-2012 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/tests/misc/dirname b/tests/misc/dirname
index 67a374ede..37cf7cf18 100755
--- a/tests/misc/dirname
+++ b/tests/misc/dirname
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ my @Tests =
     (
      ['fail-1', {ERR => "$prog: missing operand\n"
        . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}, {EXIT => '1'}],
-     ['fail-2', qw(a b), {ERR => "$prog: extra operand `b'\n"
+     ['fail-2', qw(a b), {ERR => "$prog: extra operand 'b'\n"
        . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}, {EXIT => '1'}],
 
      ['a', qw(d/f),        {OUT => 'd'}],
diff --git a/tests/misc/factor b/tests/misc/factor
index d5565d66c..97da9c474 100755
--- a/tests/misc/factor
+++ b/tests/misc/factor
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ my @Tests =
       {EXIT => 1}],
      ['cont', 'a 4',
       {OUT => "4: 2 2\n"},
-      {ERR => "$prog: `a' is not a valid positive integer\n"},
+      {ERR => "$prog: 'a' is not a valid positive integer\n"},
       {EXIT => 1}],
     );
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/fmt b/tests/misc/fmt
index ef10e8274..e94d6134e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/fmt
+++ b/tests/misc/fmt
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ my @Tests =
       {IN=> "ça\nçb\n"},
       {OUT=>"ça b\n"}],
      ['wide-1', '-w 32768',
-      {ERR => "fmt: invalid width: `32768'\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
+      {ERR => "fmt: invalid width: '32768'\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
      ['wide-2', '-w 2147483647',
-      {ERR => "fmt: invalid width: `2147483647'\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
+      {ERR => "fmt: invalid width: '2147483647'\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
      ['bad-suffix', '-72x',	{IN=> ''},
-      {ERR => "fmt: invalid width: `72x'\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
+      {ERR => "fmt: invalid width: '72x'\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
      ['no-file', 'no-such-file',
-      {ERR => "fmt: cannot open `no-such-file' for reading:"
+      {ERR => "fmt: cannot open 'no-such-file' for reading:"
        . " No such file or directory\n"}, {EXIT => 1}],
      ['obs-1', '-c -72',
       {ERR => "fmt: invalid option -- 7; -WIDTH is recognized only when it"
diff --git a/tests/misc/join b/tests/misc/join
index 8fa099464..a3fd1a8fa 100755
--- a/tests/misc/join
+++ b/tests/misc/join
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ my @tv = (
 
 # FIXME: change this to ensure the diagnostic makes sense
 ['invalid-j', '-j x', {}, "", 1,
- "$prog: invalid field number: `x'\n"],
+ "$prog: invalid field number: 'x'\n"],
 
 # With ordering check, inputs in order
 ['chkodr-1', '--check-order',
diff --git a/tests/misc/mktemp b/tests/misc/mktemp
index 40bbe5100..c6291fbb6 100755
--- a/tests/misc/mktemp
+++ b/tests/misc/mktemp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ my @Tests =
      ['too-many-q', '-q a b', {EXIT => 1} ],
 
      ['too-few-x', 'foo.XX', {EXIT => 1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: too few X's in template `foo.XX'\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: too few X's in template 'foo.XX'\n"}],
      ['too-few-xq', '-q foo.XX', {EXIT => 1} ],
 
      ['1f', 'bar.XXXX', {OUT => "bar.ZZZZ\n"},
@@ -103,11 +103,11 @@ my @Tests =
 
      # Test bad templates
      ['invalid-tl', '-t a/bXXXX',
-      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid template, `a/bXXXX', "
+      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid template, 'a/bXXXX', "
        . "contains directory separator\n"}, {EXIT => 1} ],
 
      ['invalid-t2', '--tmpdir=a /bXXXX',
-      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid template, `/bXXXX'; "
+      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid template, '/bXXXX'; "
        . "with --tmpdir, it may not be absolute\n"}, {EXIT => 1} ],
 
      # Suffix after X.
@@ -144,17 +144,17 @@ my @Tests =
        check_tmp $f, 'F'; }}],
 
      ['suffix5f', '--suffix /b aXXXX', {EXIT=>1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid suffix `/b', contains directory separator\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid suffix '/b', contains directory separator\n"}],
 
      ['suffix6f', 'aXXXX/b', {EXIT=>1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid suffix `/b', contains directory separator\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: invalid suffix '/b', contains directory separator\n"}],
      ['suffix6f-q', '-q aXXXX/b', {EXIT=>1}],
 
      ['suffix7f', '--suffix= aXXXXb', {EXIT=>1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: with --suffix, template `aXXXXb' must end in X\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: with --suffix, template 'aXXXXb' must end in X\n"}],
      ['suffix7f-q', '-q --suffix= aXXXXb', {EXIT=>1}],
      ['suffix7d', '-d --suffix=aXXXXb ""', {EXIT=>1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: with --suffix, template `' must end in X\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: with --suffix, template '' must end in X\n"}],
 
      ['suffix8f', 'aXXXX --suffix=b', {OUT=>"aZZZZb\n"},
       {OUT_SUBST=>'s,^a....,aZZZZ,'},
@@ -167,9 +167,9 @@ my @Tests =
        . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}],
 
      ['suffix10f', 'aXXb', {EXIT => 1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: too few X's in template `aXXb'\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: too few X's in template 'aXXb'\n"}],
      ['suffix10d', '-d --suffix=X aXX', {EXIT => 1},
-      {ERR=>"$prog: too few X's in template `aXXX'\n"}],
+      {ERR=>"$prog: too few X's in template 'aXXX'\n"}],
 
      ['suffix11f', '--suffix=.txt', {OUT=>"./tmp.ZZZZZZZZZZ.txt\n"},
       {ENV=>"TMPDIR=."},
diff --git a/tests/misc/nohup b/tests/misc/nohup
index e20a22c70..0fa1f3dc0 100755
--- a/tests/misc/nohup
+++ b/tests/misc/nohup
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ rm -f nohup.out err exp
 # change depending on whether stderr is redirected.
 nohup sh -c 'echo stdout; echo stderr 1>&2' >out || fail=1
 if test -t 2; then
-  test "`cat out|tr '\n' -`" = stdout-stderr- || fail=1
+  test "'cat out|tr '\n' -`" = stdout-stderr- || fail=1
 else
-  test "`cat out|tr '\n' -`" = stdout- || fail=1
+  test "'cat out|tr '\n' -`" = stdout- || fail=1
 fi
 # It must *not* exist.
 test -f nohup.out && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/od b/tests/misc/od
index 75ff2f159..46d4601d6 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od
+++ b/tests/misc/od
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ my $proc_file = '/proc/version';
 # Count the bytes in $proc_file, _by reading_.
 my $len = 0;
 open FH, '<', $proc_file
-  or die "$program_name: can't open `$proc_file' for reading: $!\n";
+  or die "$program_name: can't open '$proc_file' for reading: $!\n";
 while (defined (my $line = <FH>))
   {
     $len += length $line;
diff --git a/tests/misc/printf-cov b/tests/misc/printf-cov
index c3a6861d6..64f2d95bb 100755
--- a/tests/misc/printf-cov
+++ b/tests/misc/printf-cov
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ my @Tests =
     {OUT=>"inaccurate"}, {OUT_SUBST => 's/\d+/inaccurate/'},
     {ERR=>"$prog: 9...9\n"}, {ERR_SUBST => 's/9+.*/9...9/'}],
   ['excess', 'B 1', {OUT=>'B'},
-    {ERR=>"$prog: warning: ignoring excess arguments, starting with `1'\n"}],
+    {ERR=>"$prog: warning: ignoring excess arguments, starting with '1'\n"}],
   ['percent', '%%', {OUT=>'%'}],
   ['d-sp',    q('% d' 33), {OUT=>' 33'}],
   ['d-plus',  q('%+d' 33), {OUT=>'+33'}],
diff --git a/tests/misc/seq b/tests/misc/seq
index 05770b0da..3ea869f62 100755
--- a/tests/misc/seq
+++ b/tests/misc/seq
@@ -82,20 +82,20 @@ my @Tests =
 
    # In coreutils-[6.0..6.9], this would mistakenly succeed and print "%Lg".
    ['fmt-c',	qw(-f %%g 1), {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR => "seq: format `%%g' has no % directive\n"}],
+    {ERR => "seq: format '%%g' has no % directive\n"}],
 
    # In coreutils-6.9..6.10, this would fail with an erroneous diagnostic:
    # "seq: memory exhausted".  In coreutils-6.0..6.8, it would mistakenly
    # succeed and print a blank line.
    ['fmt-eos1', qw(-f % 1), {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR => "seq: format `%' ends in %\n"}],
+    {ERR => "seq: format '%' ends in %\n"}],
    ['fmt-eos2', qw(-f %g% 1), {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR => "seq: format `%g%' has too many % directives\n"}],
+    {ERR => "seq: format '%g%' has too many % directives\n"}],
 
    ['fmt-d',	qw(-f "" 1), {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR => "seq: format `' has no % directive\n"}],
+    {ERR => "seq: format '' has no % directive\n"}],
    ['fmt-e',	qw(-f %g%g 1), {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR => "seq: format `%g%g' has too many % directives\n"}],
+    {ERR => "seq: format '%g%g' has too many % directives\n"}],
 
    # With coreutils-6.12 and earlier, with a UTF8 numeric locale that uses
    # something other than "." as the decimal point, this use of seq would
diff --git a/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec b/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec
index 4c7c06afd..d7b5e0d8e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec
+++ b/tests/misc/sha1sum-vec
@@ -495,8 +495,8 @@ sub binary_expand ($$)
   defined $n && defined $b or die "$test_name: too few args\n";
   my @a = split ' ', $rest, $n + 1;
   my $caret = pop @a;
-  $caret eq '^' or die "test $test_name: @a missing `^'\n";
-  $b eq '1' || $b eq '0' or die "test $test_name: bad `b'=$b\n";
+  $caret eq '^' or die "test $test_name: @a missing '^'\n";
+  $b eq '1' || $b eq '0' or die "test $test_name: bad 'b'=$b\n";
   my $n_bad = @a;
   @a == $n or
     die "test $test_name: wrong number of args (expected $n, found $n_bad)\n";
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort b/tests/misc/sort
index ea27faa25..5be00a017 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort
+++ b/tests/misc/sort
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ my @Tests =
 ["h6", '-h', {IN=>"1GiB\n1030MiB\n"}, {OUT=>"1030MiB\n1GiB\n"}],
 # check option incompatibility
 ["h7", '-hn', {IN=>""}, {OUT=>""}, {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-hn' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-hn' are incompatible\n"}],
 # check key processing
 ["h8", '-n -k2,2h', {IN=>"1 1E\n2 2M\n"}, {OUT=>"2 2M\n1 1E\n"}],
 # SI and IEC prefixes on separate keys allowed
@@ -105,13 +105,13 @@ my @Tests =
 ["03c", '-k1 -k2', {IN=>"A b\nA a\n"}, {OUT=>"A a\nA b\n"}],
 # Fail with a diagnostic when -k specifies field == 0.
 ["03d", '-k0', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: -: invalid field specification `0'\n"},
+ {ERR=>"$prog: -: invalid field specification '0'\n"},
   $normalize_filename],
 # Fail with a diagnostic when -k specifies character == 0.
 ["03e", '-k1.0', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: character offset is zero: invalid field specification `1.0'\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: character offset is zero: invalid field specification '1.0'\n"}],
 ["03f", '-k1.1,-k0', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after `,': invalid count at start of `-k0'\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after ',': invalid count at start of '-k0'\n"}],
 # This is ok.
 ["03g", '-k1.1,1.0', {IN=>''}],
 # This is equivalent to 3f.
@@ -158,10 +158,10 @@ my @Tests =
 #
 # report an error for '.' without following char spec
 ["08a", '-k 2.,3', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after `.': invalid count at start of `,3'\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after '.': invalid count at start of ',3'\n"}],
 # report an error for ',' without following POS2
 ["08b", '-k 2,', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after `,': invalid count at start of `'\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: invalid number after ',': invalid count at start of ''\n"}],
 #
 # Test new -g option.
 ["09a", '-g', {IN=>"1e2\n2e1\n"}, {OUT=>"2e1\n1e2\n"}],
@@ -334,19 +334,19 @@ my @Tests =
 
 # Specifying incompatible options should evoke a failure.
 ["incompat1", '-in', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-in' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-in' are incompatible\n"}],
 ["incompat2", '-nR', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-nR' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-nR' are incompatible\n"}],
 ["incompat3", '-dfgiMnR', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-dfgMnR' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-dfgMnR' are incompatible\n"}],
 ["incompat4", qw(-c -o /dev/null), {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-co' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-co' are incompatible\n"}],
 ["incompat5", qw(-C -o /dev/null), {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-Co' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-Co' are incompatible\n"}],
 ["incompat6", '-cC', {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-cC' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-cC' are incompatible\n"}],
 ["incompat7", qw(--sort=random -n), {EXIT=>2},
- {ERR=>"$prog: options `-nR' are incompatible\n"}],
+ {ERR=>"$prog: options '-nR' are incompatible\n"}],
 
 # -t '\0' is accepted, as of coreutils-5.0.91
 ['nul-tab', "-k2,2 -t '\\0'",
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-compress b/tests/misc/sort-compress
index 09d6720d8..9a4b9f622 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-files0-from b/tests/misc/sort-files0-from
index 1b362ac45..6aa10acc1 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-files0-from
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-files0-from
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ my @Tests =
   (
    # invalid extra command line argument
    ['f-extra-arg', '--files0-from=- no-such', {IN=>"a"}, {EXIT=>2},
-    {ERR => "$prog: extra operand `no-such'\n"
+    {ERR => "$prog: extra operand 'no-such'\n"
         . "file operands cannot be combined with --files0-from\n"
         . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}
     ],
 
    # missing input file
    ['missing', '--files0-from=missing', {EXIT=>2},
-    {ERR => "$prog: cannot open `missing' for reading: "
+    {ERR => "$prog: cannot open 'missing' for reading: "
      . "No such file or directory\n"}],
 
    # input file name of '-'
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
    # empty input, from non-regular file
    ['empty-nonreg', '--files0-from=/dev/null', {EXIT=>2},
-    {ERR => "$prog: no input from `/dev/null'\n"}],
+    {ERR => "$prog: no input from '/dev/null'\n"}],
 
    # one NUL
    ['nul-1', '--files0-from=-', '<', {IN=>"\0"}, {EXIT=>2},
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-merge b/tests/misc/sort-merge
index 3303d10af..8cdde1875 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-merge
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-merge
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ my @Tests =
 
      # check validation of --batch-size option
      ['nmerge-0', "-m --batch-size=0", @inputs,
-        {ERR=>"$prog: invalid --batch-size argument `0'\n".
-              "$prog: minimum --batch-size argument is `2'\n"}, {EXIT=>2}],
+        {ERR=>"$prog: invalid --batch-size argument '0'\n".
+              "$prog: minimum --batch-size argument is '2'\n"}, {EXIT=>2}],
 
      ['nmerge-1', "-m --batch-size=1", @inputs,
-        {ERR=>"$prog: invalid --batch-size argument `1'\n".
-              "$prog: minimum --batch-size argument is `2'\n"}, {EXIT=>2}],
+        {ERR=>"$prog: invalid --batch-size argument '1'\n".
+              "$prog: minimum --batch-size argument is '2'\n"}, {EXIT=>2}],
 
      ['nmerge-neg', "-m --batch-size=-1", @inputs,
         {ERR=>"$prog: invalid --batch-size argument '-1'\n"}, {EXIT=>2}],
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
      ['nmerge-big', "-m --batch-size=$bigint", @inputs,
         {ERR_SUBST=>'s/(current rlimit is) \d+/$1/'},
-        {ERR=>"$prog: --batch-size argument `$bigint' too large\n".
+        {ERR=>"$prog: --batch-size argument '$bigint' too large\n".
               "$prog: maximum --batch-size argument with current rlimit is\n"},
         {EXIT=>2}],
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ my @Tests =
      # temp files are needed
      ['nmerge-no', "-m --batch-size=2 -T$badtmp", @inputs,
         {ERR_SUBST=>"s|': .*|':|"},
-        {ERR=>"$prog: cannot create temporary file in `$badtmp':\n"},
+        {ERR=>"$prog: cannot create temporary file in '$badtmp':\n"},
         {EXIT=>2}],
 
      # This used to fail because setting batch-size without also setting
diff --git a/tests/misc/stdbuf b/tests/misc/stdbuf
index 99bb24300..bf4edc179 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/tac b/tests/misc/tac
index 48c872f62..077cc0c9d 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tac
+++ b/tests/misc/tac
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ my @Tests =
   ['pipe-bad-tmpdir',
    {ENV => "TMPDIR=$bad_dir"},
    {IN_PIPE => "a\n"},
-   {ERR_SUBST => "s,`$bad_dir': .*,...,"},
+   {ERR_SUBST => "s,'$bad_dir': .*,...,"},
    {ERR => "$prog: failed to create temporary file in ...\n"},
    {EXIT => 1}],
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/tail b/tests/misc/tail
index 910297664..41c2f9a99 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tail
+++ b/tests/misc/tail
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ my @tv = (
 ['obs-b', '-b', "x\n" x (512 * 10 / 2 + 1), "x\n" x (512 * 10 / 2), 0],
 
 ['err-1', '+cl', '', '', 1,
- "$prog: cannot open `+cl' for reading: No such file or directory\n"],
+ "$prog: cannot open '+cl' for reading: No such file or directory\n"],
 
 ['err-2', '-cl', '', '', 1,
  "$prog: l: invalid number of bytes\n"],
 
 ['err-3', '+2cz', '', '', 1,
- "$prog: cannot open `+2cz' for reading: No such file or directory\n"],
+ "$prog: cannot open '+2cz' for reading: No such file or directory\n"],
 
 # This should get 'tail: invalid option -- 2'
 ['err-4', '-2cX', '', '', 1,
diff --git a/tests/misc/test b/tests/misc/test
index aad07d057..ac30c3790 100755
--- a/tests/misc/test
+++ b/tests/misc/test
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ my @Tests =
   ['lt-5', "$limits->{INTMAX_UFLOW} -lt $limits->{UINTMAX_OFLOW}"],
 
   ['inv-1', qw(0x0 -eq 00), {EXIT=>2},
-   {ERR=>"$prog: invalid integer `0x0'\n"}],
+   {ERR=>"$prog: invalid integer '0x0'\n"}],
 
   ['t1', "-t"],
   ['t2', qw(-t 1), {EXIT=>1}],
diff --git a/tests/misc/test-diag b/tests/misc/test-diag
index c6e15cf47..9c0ce227f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/test-diag
+++ b/tests/misc/test-diag
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ my $prog = "$ENV{abs_top_builddir}/src/test";
 my @Tests =
     (
      # In coreutils-5.93, this diagnostic lacked the newline.
-     ['o', '-o arg', {ERR => "test: extra argument `-o'\n"},
+     ['o', '-o arg', {ERR => "test: extra argument '-o'\n"},
       {ERR_SUBST => 's!^.*:!test:!'},
       {EXIT => 2}],
     );
diff --git a/tests/misc/timeout b/tests/misc/timeout
index cc1ad3d6e..d69e2f21b 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/tr b/tests/misc/tr
index ba6e943c8..89f777757 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tr
+++ b/tests/misc/tr
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ my @Tests =
   ['rep-3', qw('a[b*513]c' '1[x*]2'), {IN=>'abc'}, {OUT=>'1x2'}],
   # Another couple octal repeat count tests.
   ['o-rep-1', qw('[b*08]' '[x*]'), {IN=>''}, {OUT=>''}, {EXIT=>1},
-   {ERR=>"$prog: invalid repeat count `08' in [c*n] construct\n"}],
+   {ERR=>"$prog: invalid repeat count '08' in [c*n] construct\n"}],
   ['o-rep-2', qw('[b*010]cd' '[a*7]BC[x*]'), {IN=>'bcd'}, {OUT=>'BCx'}],
 
   ['esc', qw('a\-z' A-Z), {IN=>'abc-z'}, {OUT=>'AbcBC'}],
@@ -141,9 +141,9 @@ my @Tests =
   # Ensure that these fail.
   # Prior to 2.0.20, each would evoke a failed assertion.
   ['empty-eq', qw('[==]' x), {IN=>''}, {OUT=>''}, {EXIT=>1},
-   {ERR=>"$prog: missing equivalence class character `[==]'\n"}],
+   {ERR=>"$prog: missing equivalence class character '[==]'\n"}],
   ['empty-cc', qw('[::]' x), {IN=>''}, {OUT=>''}, {EXIT=>1},
-   {ERR=>"$prog: missing character class name `[::]'\n"}],
+   {ERR=>"$prog: missing character class name '[::]'\n"}],
 
   # Weird repeat counts.
   ['repeat-bs-9', qw(abc '[b*\9]'), {IN=>'abcd'}, {OUT=>'[b*d'}],
diff --git a/tests/misc/tsort b/tests/misc/tsort
index 88fcec50a..6f41cc07a 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tsort
+++ b/tests/misc/tsort
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ my @Tests =
 
    ['only-one', {IN => {f => ""}}, {IN => {g => ""}},
     {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR => "tsort: extra operand `g'\n"
+    {ERR => "tsort: extra operand 'g'\n"
      . "Try 'tsort --help' for more information.\n"}],
   );
 
diff --git a/tests/misc/tty-eof b/tests/misc/tty-eof
index eaaec35c8..d6c4a7714 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tty-eof
+++ b/tests/misc/tty-eof
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ $@
       my $exp = new Expect;
       $exp->log_user(0);
       $exp->spawn("$cmd 2> $stderr")
-        or (warn "$ME: cannot run `$cmd': $!\n"), $fail=1, next;
+        or (warn "$ME: cannot run '$cmd': $!\n"), $fail=1, next;
       # No input for cut -f2.
       $cmd =~ /^cut/
         or $exp->send("a b\n");
diff --git a/tests/misc/wc-files0-from b/tests/misc/wc-files0-from
index ac96c98d4..0f99aeeb6 100755
--- a/tests/misc/wc-files0-from
+++ b/tests/misc/wc-files0-from
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ my @Tests =
   (
    # invalid extra command line argument
    ['f-extra-arg', '--files0-from=- no-such', {IN=>"a"}, {EXIT=>1},
-    {ERR => "$prog: extra operand `no-such'\n"
+    {ERR => "$prog: extra operand 'no-such'\n"
         . "file operands cannot be combined with --files0-from\n"
         . "Try '$prog --help' for more information.\n"}
     ],
 
    # missing input file
    ['missing', '--files0-from=missing', {EXIT=>1},
-    {ERR => "$prog: cannot open `missing' for reading: "
+    {ERR => "$prog: cannot open 'missing' for reading: "
      . "No such file or directory\n"}],
 
    # input file name of '-'
diff --git a/tests/misc/xstrtol b/tests/misc/xstrtol
index bdc7bff28..fa0056fcd 100755
--- a/tests/misc/xstrtol
+++ b/tests/misc/xstrtol
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ my @Tests =
     {ERR=>"$prog: invalid --pages argument 'x'\n"}],
 
    ['inv-pg-range', "--pages=9x", {EXIT => 1},
-    {ERR=>"$prog: invalid page range `9x'\n"}],
+    {ERR=>"$prog: invalid page range '9x'\n"}],
   );
 
 my $save_temps = $ENV{DEBUG};