diff --git a/doc/lispref/symbols.texi b/doc/lispref/symbols.texi
index 32590d4f99e..b30a16927ec 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/symbols.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/symbols.texi
@@ -742,12 +742,12 @@ There are two exceptions to rules governing Shorthand transformations:
 
 @itemize @bullet
 @item
-Symbol forms comprised entirely of symbol and punctuation characters
-(@pxref{Syntax Class Table}) are not transformed.  For example,
-it's possible to use @code{-} or @code{/=} as shorthand prefixes, but
-that won't shadow the arithmetic @emph{functions} of those names.
+Symbol forms comprised entirely of characters in the Emacs Lisp symbol
+constituent class (@pxref{Syntax Class Table}) are not transformed.
+For example, it's possible to use @code{-} or @code{/=} as shorthand
+prefixes, but that won't shadow the arithmetic @emph{functions} of
+those names.
 
 @item
-Symbol forms whose names start with @samp{#} or @samp{_} are not
-transformed.
+Symbol forms whose names start with @samp{#_} are not transformed.
 @end itemize