diff --git a/collects/honu/core/private/canonical.rkt b/collects/honu/core/private/canonical.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e06472e6f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/honu/core/private/canonical.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#lang racket/base
+
+(provide (all-defined-out))
+
+(require "literals.rkt"
+         (for-template "honu-typed-scheme.rkt")
+         syntax/parse)
+
+;; syntax -> string
+(define (to-honu-string stx)
+  (syntax-parse stx
+    #:literal-sets ([cruft #:at stx])
+    #:literals (honu-unparsed-begin)
+    [(f (#%parens x ...) rest ...)
+     (format "~a(~a)~a"
+             (to-honu-string #'f)
+             (to-honu-string #'(x ...))
+             (to-honu-string #'(rest ...)))]
+    [(x1) (to-honu-string #'x1)]
+    [(x1 x2 ...)
+     (format "~a ~a" (to-honu-string #'x1)
+             (to-honu-string #'(x2 ...)))]
+    [() ""]
+    [else (format "~a" (syntax->datum stx))]))