diff --git a/collects/scribblings/drracket/keybindings.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/drracket/keybindings.scrbl
index ccbd8b5d15..de0ac712f3 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/drracket/keybindings.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/drracket/keybindings.scrbl
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ selected.
 @itemize[
   @keybinding["f1"]{Search in the documentation for the words near the insertion point}
   @keybinding["f2"]{Reveal the blue box for the identifier at the insertion point (requires
-                    online check syntax to be enabled, or normal check syntax to have been
+                    background check syntax to be enabled, or normal check syntax to have been
                     run).}
 ]
 
diff --git a/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt b/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt
index 076c10829c..e2ee195ec1 100644
--- a/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt
+++ b/collects/string-constants/private/english-string-constants.rkt
@@ -233,19 +233,19 @@ please adhere to these guidelines:
   (sc-f2-to-un/lock "f2 to (un)lock")
   
  ;; the online check syntax status messages (mouse over the bottom right of drracket's window to see the messages during online expansion's various phases)
- (online-expansion-running "Speculative expansion running")
+ (online-expansion-running "Background expansion running")
  (online-expansion-only-raw-text-files-supported "Only pure text files supported")
- (online-expansion-abnormal-termination "Speculative expansion terminated abnormally")
- (online-expansion-finished-successfully "Speculative expansion finished successfully")
+ (online-expansion-abnormal-termination "Background expansion terminated abnormally")
+ (online-expansion-finished-successfully "Background expansion finished successfully")
   
  (jump-to-error "Jump to Error")
- (online-expansion-is-disabled "Speculative expansion is disabled")
+ (online-expansion-is-disabled "Background expansion is disabled")
  ;; these next two show up in the bar along the bottom of the drracket window
- (online-expansion-pending "Speculative expansion pending ...")
- (online-expansion-finished "Speculative expansion finished") ;; note: there may still be errors in this case
+ (online-expansion-pending "Background expansion pending ...")
+ (online-expansion-finished "Background expansion finished") ;; note: there may still be errors in this case
   
  ;; the online expansion preferences pane
- (online-expansion "Speculative expansion") ;; title of prefs pane
+ (online-expansion "Background expansion") ;; title of prefs pane
  ; the different kinds of errors
  (online-expansion-show-read-errors-as "Show read-level errors")
  (online-expansion-show-variable-errors-as "Show unbound identifier errors")