diff --git a/collections/arrays/shaped/shaped.factor b/collections/arrays/shaped/shaped.factor
index d12363e664..6559452bcf 100644
--- a/collections/arrays/shaped/shaped.factor
+++ b/collections/arrays/shaped/shaped.factor
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ TUPLE: row-traverser shaped-array index ;
 
 GENERIC: next-index ( object -- index ) ;
 
-SYNTAX: sa{ \ } [ >shaped-array ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ sa{ \ } [ >shaped-array ] parse-literal ;
 
 use: prettyprint.custom
 ! M: row-array pprint* shaped-array>array pprint* ;
diff --git a/collections/bit-arrays/bit-arrays.factor b/collections/bit-arrays/bit-arrays.factor
index a32d1b2e8b..32d326b040 100644
--- a/collections/bit-arrays/bit-arrays.factor
+++ b/collections/bit-arrays/bit-arrays.factor
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ M: bit-array resize
 
 M: bit-array byte-length length bits>bytes ; inline
 
-SYNTAX: ?{ \ } [ >bit-array ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ ?{ \ } [ >bit-array ] parse-literal ;
 
 : integer>bit-array ( n -- bit-array )
     dup 0 =
diff --git a/collections/bit-vectors/bit-vectors.factor b/collections/bit-vectors/bit-vectors.factor
index 29e111bee3..9ee20819f2 100644
--- a/collections/bit-vectors/bit-vectors.factor
+++ b/collections/bit-vectors/bit-vectors.factor
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ in: bit-vectors
 
 << "bit-vector" create-class-in \ bit-array \ <bit-array> define-vector >>
 
-SYNTAX: ?V{ \ } [ >bit-vector ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ ?V{ \ } [ >bit-vector ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: bit-vector contract 2drop ;
 M: bit-vector >pprint-sequence ;
diff --git a/collections/byte-arrays/hex/hex.factor b/collections/byte-arrays/hex/hex.factor
index d157e01ec9..b1e7af711c 100644
--- a/collections/byte-arrays/hex/hex.factor
+++ b/collections/byte-arrays/hex/hex.factor
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ in: byte-arrays.hex
 
 ERROR: odd-length-hex-string string ;
 
-SYNTAX: HEX{
+SYNTAX: \ HEX{
     "}" parse-tokens concat
     [ blank? ] reject
     dup length even? [ odd-length-hex-string ] unless
diff --git a/collections/dlists/dlists.factor b/collections/dlists/dlists.factor
index 0c2d2c9ec6..909610fadf 100644
--- a/collections/dlists/dlists.factor
+++ b/collections/dlists/dlists.factor
@@ -213,6 +213,6 @@ PRIVATE>
 
 INSTANCE: dlist deque ;
 
-SYNTAX: DL{ \ } [ >dlist ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ DL{ \ } [ >dlist ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "dlists" "prettyprint" } "dlists.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/hash-sets/identity/identity.factor b/collections/hash-sets/identity/identity.factor
index a16fa44ade..479ff01265 100644
--- a/collections/hash-sets/identity/identity.factor
+++ b/collections/hash-sets/identity/identity.factor
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ M: identity-hash-set clone
 M: identity-hash-set set-like
     drop dup identity-hash-set? [ ?members >identity-hash-set ] unless ; inline
 
-SYNTAX: IHS{ \ } [ >identity-hash-set ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ IHS{ \ } [ >identity-hash-set ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "hash-sets.identity" "prettyprint" } "hash-sets.identity.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/hash-sets/numbers/numbers.factor b/collections/hash-sets/numbers/numbers.factor
index d09b9966e9..bb89928f75 100644
--- a/collections/hash-sets/numbers/numbers.factor
+++ b/collections/hash-sets/numbers/numbers.factor
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ M: number-hash-set clone
 : >number-hash-set ( members -- shash-set )
     [ <number-wrapper> ] map >hash-set number-hash-set boa ;
 
-SYNTAX: NHS{ \ } [ >number-hash-set ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ NHS{ \ } [ >number-hash-set ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "hash-sets.numbers" "prettyprint" } "hash-sets.numbers.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/hash-sets/sequences/sequences.factor b/collections/hash-sets/sequences/sequences.factor
index 7ac0870dab..a3b3adf0ea 100644
--- a/collections/hash-sets/sequences/sequences.factor
+++ b/collections/hash-sets/sequences/sequences.factor
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ M: sequence-hash-set clone
 : >sequence-hash-set ( members -- shash-set )
     [ <sequence-wrapper> ] map >hash-set sequence-hash-set boa ;
 
-SYNTAX: SHS{ \ } [ >sequence-hash-set ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ SHS{ \ } [ >sequence-hash-set ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "hash-sets.sequences" "prettyprint" } "hash-sets.sequences.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/hashtables/numbers/numbers.factor b/collections/hashtables/numbers/numbers.factor
index 3ed809d8dc..a0f5878b03 100644
--- a/collections/hashtables/numbers/numbers.factor
+++ b/collections/hashtables/numbers/numbers.factor
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@ M: number-hashtable clone
 
 M: number-hashtable new-assoc drop <number-hashtable> ;
 
-SYNTAX: NH{ \ } [ >number-hashtable ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ NH{ \ } [ >number-hashtable ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "hashtables.numbers" "prettyprint" } "hashtables.numbers.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/hashtables/sequences/sequences.factor b/collections/hashtables/sequences/sequences.factor
index 85828611dd..fafbdbdb7a 100644
--- a/collections/hashtables/sequences/sequences.factor
+++ b/collections/hashtables/sequences/sequences.factor
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ M: sequence-hashtable clone
 
 M: sequence-hashtable new-assoc drop <sequence-hashtable> ;
 
-SYNTAX: SH{ \ } [ >sequence-hashtable ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ SH{ \ } [ >sequence-hashtable ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "hashtables.sequences" "prettyprint" } "hashtables.sequences.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/linked-assocs/linked-assocs.factor b/collections/linked-assocs/linked-assocs.factor
index 1fa0339106..07f4a9e044 100644
--- a/collections/linked-assocs/linked-assocs.factor
+++ b/collections/linked-assocs/linked-assocs.factor
@@ -61,6 +61,6 @@ M: linked-assoc assoc-like
 M: linked-assoc equal?
     over linked-assoc? [ [ dlist>> ] bi@ = ] [ 2drop f ] if ;
 
-SYNTAX: LH{ \ } [ check-hashtable >linked-hash ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ LH{ \ } [ check-hashtable >linked-hash ] parse-literal ;
 
 { "linked-assocs" "prettyprint" } "linked-assocs.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/memory/pools/pools-docs.factor b/collections/memory/pools/pools-docs.factor
index 63134acb2f..0c73f3975a 100644
--- a/collections/memory/pools/pools-docs.factor
+++ b/collections/memory/pools/pools-docs.factor
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ HELP: <pool>
 }
 { $description "Creates a " { $link pool } " of " { $snippet "size" } " objects of " { $snippet "class" } "." } ;
 
-HELP: POOL:
-{ $syntax "POOL: class size" }
+HELP: \ POOL:
+{ $syntax "POOL: class size ;" }
 { $description "Creates a " { $link pool } " of " { $snippet "size" } " objects of " { $snippet "class" } ", and associates it with the class using " { $link set-class-pool } "." } ;
 
 HELP: class-pool
diff --git a/collections/memory/pools/pools.factor b/collections/memory/pools/pools.factor
index 20339beef7..e1216e22d8 100644
--- a/collections/memory/pools/pools.factor
+++ b/collections/memory/pools/pools.factor
@@ -49,5 +49,5 @@ PRIVATE>
 : free-to-pool ( object -- )
     dup class-of class-pool pool-free ;
 
-SYNTAX: POOL:
-    scan-word scan-word '[ _ swap <pool> ] [ swap set-class-pool ] bi ;
+SYNTAX: \ POOL:
+    scan-word scan-word ";" expect '[ _ swap <pool> ] [ swap set-class-pool ] bi ;
diff --git a/collections/nibble-arrays/nibble-arrays.factor b/collections/nibble-arrays/nibble-arrays.factor
index 3bc857fef2..7118b4531c 100644
--- a/collections/nibble-arrays/nibble-arrays.factor
+++ b/collections/nibble-arrays/nibble-arrays.factor
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ M: nibble-array resize
 
 M: nibble-array byte-length length nibbles>bytes ;
 
-SYNTAX: N{ \ } [ >nibble-array ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ N{ \ } [ >nibble-array ] parse-literal ;
 
 INSTANCE: nibble-array sequence ;
 
diff --git a/collections/persistent/hashtables/hashtables.factor b/collections/persistent/hashtables/hashtables.factor
index 95a0b4342d..6a34f5773a 100644
--- a/collections/persistent/hashtables/hashtables.factor
+++ b/collections/persistent/hashtables/hashtables.factor
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ M: persistent-hash hashcode* nip assoc-size ;
 
 M: persistent-hash clone ;
 
-SYNTAX: PH{ \ } [ >persistent-hash ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ PH{ \ } [ >persistent-hash ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: persistent-hash pprint-delims drop \ PH{ \ } ;
 M: persistent-hash >pprint-sequence >alist ;
diff --git a/collections/persistent/vectors/vectors.factor b/collections/persistent/vectors/vectors.factor
index 3544e1b7e8..1bbab96ee5 100644
--- a/collections/persistent/vectors/vectors.factor
+++ b/collections/persistent/vectors/vectors.factor
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ M: persistent-vector equal?
 : >persistent-vector ( seq -- pvec )
     T{ persistent-vector } like ;
 
-SYNTAX: PV{ \ } [ >persistent-vector ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ PV{ \ } [ >persistent-vector ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: persistent-vector pprint-delims drop \ PV{ \ } ;
 M: persistent-vector >pprint-sequence ;
diff --git a/collections/specialized-arrays/specialized-arrays.factor b/collections/specialized-arrays/specialized-arrays.factor
index e2d7f8849f..10de4326ca 100644
--- a/collections/specialized-arrays/specialized-arrays.factor
+++ b/collections/specialized-arrays/specialized-arrays.factor
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ M: A pprint-delims drop \ A{ \ } ;
 
 M: A >pprint-sequence ;
 
-SYNTAX: A{ \ } [ \ T >c-array ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ A{ \ } [ \ T >c-array ] parse-literal ;
 
 INSTANCE: A specialized-array ;
 
@@ -168,13 +168,13 @@ M: c-type-word c-array-type?
 
 M: pointer c-array-type? drop void* c-array-type? ;
 
-SYNTAX: SPECIALIZED-ARRAYS:
+SYNTAX: \ SPECIALIZED-ARRAYS:
     ";" [ parse-c-type define-array-vocab use-vocab ] each-token ;
 
-SYNTAX: SPECIALIZED-ARRAY:
+SYNTAX: \ SPECIALIZED-ARRAY:
     scan-c-type define-array-vocab use-vocab ;
 
-SYNTAX: specialized-array:
+SYNTAX: \ specialized-array:
     scan-c-type define-array-vocab use-vocab ;
 
 { "specialized-arrays" "prettyprint" } "specialized-arrays.prettyprint" require-when
diff --git a/collections/specialized-vectors/specialized-vectors.factor b/collections/specialized-vectors/specialized-vectors.factor
index 76c236d490..adba72f998 100644
--- a/collections/specialized-vectors/specialized-vectors.factor
+++ b/collections/specialized-vectors/specialized-vectors.factor
@@ -76,19 +76,14 @@ PRIVATE>
     [ specialized-vector-vocab ] [ '[ _ define-vector ] ] bi
     generate-vocab ;
 
-SYNTAX: SPECIALIZED-VECTORS:
+SYNTAX: \ SPECIALIZED-VECTORS:
     ";" [
         parse-c-type
         [ define-array-vocab use-vocab ]
         [ define-vector-vocab use-vocab ] bi
     ] each-token ;
 
-SYNTAX: SPECIALIZED-VECTOR:
-    scan-c-type
-    [ define-array-vocab use-vocab ]
-    [ define-vector-vocab use-vocab ] bi ;
-
-SYNTAX: specialized-vector:
+SYNTAX: \ specialized-vector:
     scan-c-type
     [ define-array-vocab use-vocab ]
     [ define-vector-vocab use-vocab ] bi ;
diff --git a/collections/suffix-arrays/suffix-arrays.factor b/collections/suffix-arrays/suffix-arrays.factor
index fceb984c28..91cecefdb9 100644
--- a/collections/suffix-arrays/suffix-arrays.factor
+++ b/collections/suffix-arrays/suffix-arrays.factor
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ PRIVATE>
 : >suffix-array ( seq -- suffix-array )
     members [ suffixes ] map concat natural-sort ;
 
-SYNTAX: SA{ \ } [ >suffix-array ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ SA{ \ } [ >suffix-array ] parse-literal ;
 
 : query ( begin suffix-array -- matches )
     [ find-index ] 2keep '[ _ _ (query) ] [ { } ] if* ;
diff --git a/collections/trees/avl/avl.factor b/collections/trees/avl/avl.factor
index d5eb8cef59..88087ed890 100644
--- a/collections/trees/avl/avl.factor
+++ b/collections/trees/avl/avl.factor
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ PRIVATE>
 M: avl assoc-like
     drop dup avl? [ >avl ] unless ;
 
-SYNTAX: AVL{
+SYNTAX: \ AVL{
     \ } [ >avl ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: avl pprint-delims drop \ AVL{ \ } ;
diff --git a/collections/trees/splay/splay.factor b/collections/trees/splay/splay.factor
index d95447e56a..b1bab28498 100644
--- a/collections/trees/splay/splay.factor
+++ b/collections/trees/splay/splay.factor
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ PRIVATE>
 : >splay ( assoc -- tree )
     T{ splay f f 0 } assoc-clone-like ;
 
-SYNTAX: SPLAY{
+SYNTAX: \ SPLAY{
     \ } [ >splay ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: splay assoc-like
diff --git a/collections/trees/trees.factor b/collections/trees/trees.factor
index 1f0f424eed..9a5f965ef2 100644
--- a/collections/trees/trees.factor
+++ b/collections/trees/trees.factor
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ M: tree clone dup assoc-clone-like ;
 
 M: tree assoc-like drop dup tree? [ >tree ] unless ;
 
-SYNTAX: TREE{
+SYNTAX: \ TREE{
     \ } [ >tree ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: tree assoc-size count>> ;
diff --git a/collections/vlists/vlists.factor b/collections/vlists/vlists.factor
index 66a59f9f40..a9d943bd00 100644
--- a/collections/vlists/vlists.factor
+++ b/collections/vlists/vlists.factor
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ M: vlist like
 
 INSTANCE: vlist immutable-sequence ;
 
-SYNTAX: VL{ \ } [ >vlist ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ VL{ \ } [ >vlist ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: vlist pprint-delims drop \ VL{ \ } ;
 M: vlist >pprint-sequence ;
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ M: valist assoc-like
 
 INSTANCE: valist assoc ;
 
-SYNTAX: VA{ \ } [ >valist ] parse-literal ;
+SYNTAX: \ VA{ \ } [ >valist ] parse-literal ;
 
 M: valist pprint-delims drop \ VA{ \ } ;
 M: valist >pprint-sequence >alist ;
diff --git a/language/functors/backend/backend.factor b/language/functors/backend/backend.factor
index a67a5821b7..818f2682f8 100644
--- a/language/functors/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/language/functors/backend/backend.factor
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ SYNTAX: \ FUNCTOR-SYNTAX:
 
 : scan-param ( -- obj ) scan-object literalize ;
 
+: scan-escaped-param ( -- obj ) scan-escaped-word literalize ;
+
 : >string-param ( string -- string/param )
     dup search dup lexical? [ nip ] [ drop ] if ;
 
diff --git a/language/functors/functors.factor b/language/functors/functors.factor
index 55ca5be4fb..48e9e4115b 100644
--- a/language/functors/functors.factor
+++ b/language/functors/functors.factor
@@ -110,8 +110,9 @@ FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: \ symbol:
     scan-param suffix!
     \ define-symbol suffix! ;
 
+! Handles SYNTAX: \ foo:
 FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: \ SYNTAX:
-    scan-param suffix!
+    scan-escaped-param suffix!
     parse-definition*
     \ define-syntax suffix! ;
 
diff --git a/modern-transition.factor b/modern-transition.factor
index bf45a1c5ed..08755a18ec 100644
--- a/modern-transition.factor
+++ b/modern-transition.factor
@@ -4,27 +4,11 @@
 ! lexable-core-paths [ dup . flush path>literals ] map-zip
 
 "resource:language" vocabs-from
-{ "constructors" "descriptive" "eval" "functors" "literals"
-"match" "method-chains" "multi-methods" "multiline"
-"pair-methods" "peg" "promises" "shuffle" "tr" "tuple-arrays"
-"variables" "variants" "alien.data" "alien.endian" "alien.fortran"
-"alien.syntax" "alien.data.map" "classes.struct"
-"classes.struct.vectored" "compiler.codegen" "functors.backend"
-"compiler.cfg.dataflow-analysis" "compiler.cfg.renaming.functor"
-"compiler.cfg.registers" "cpu.8080.emulator" "definitions.icons"
-"compiler.cfg.instructions.syntax" "cpu.x86.assembler.syntax"
-"io.encodings.euc" "peg.ebnf" "prettyprint.stylesheet" "slots.syntax"
- } diff
+{ } diff
 [ dup <vocab-link> . flush vocab>literals ] map-zip
 
 "resource:collections" vocabs-from
-{ "bit-arrays"
-"bit-vectors" "dlists" "linked-assocs" "nibble-arrays"
-"specialized-arrays" "specialized-vectors" "suffix-arrays"
-"trees" "vlists" "arrays.shaped" "byte-arrays.hex"
-"hash-sets.identity" "hash-sets.numbers" "hash-sets.sequences"
-"hashtables.numbers" "hashtables.sequences" "persistent.hashtables"
-"memory.pools" "persistent.vectors" "trees.avl" "trees.splay"
+{ 
 } diff
 [ dup <vocab-link> . flush vocab>literals ] map-zip