diff --git a/Doc/lib/libnntplib.tex b/Doc/lib/libnntplib.tex
index bf26b7d609b..e0f99894161 100644
--- a/Doc/lib/libnntplib.tex
+++ b/Doc/lib/libnntplib.tex
@@ -197,14 +197,14 @@ and \var{list} is a list of the article's headers (an uninterpreted
 list of lines, without trailing newlines).
 \end{methoddesc}
 
-\begin{methoddesc}{body}{id,\optional{fileHandle}}
+\begin{methoddesc}{body}{id,\optional{file}}
 Send a \samp{BODY} command, where \var{id} has the same meaning as for
-\method{stat()}.  If the \var{fileHandle} parameter is supplied, then
-the body is stored in a file.  If \var{fileHandle} is a string, then
+\method{stat()}.  If the \var{file} parameter is supplied, then
+the body is stored in a file.  If \var{file} is a string, then
 the method will open a file object with that name, write to it then close it.
-If \var{fileHandle} is a file object, then it will start calling
+If \var{file} is a file object, then it will start calling
 \method{write()} on it to store the lines of the body.
-Return as for \method{head()}.  If \var{fileHandle} is supplied. Then
+Return as for \method{head()}.  If \var{file} is supplied. Then
 the returned \var{list} is an empty list.
 \end{methoddesc}
 
diff --git a/Lib/nntplib.py b/Lib/nntplib.py
index d5bc902e13b..fad6b08c6e9 100644
--- a/Lib/nntplib.py
+++ b/Lib/nntplib.py
@@ -211,15 +211,15 @@ class NNTP:
             raise NNTPProtocolError(resp)
         return resp
 
-    def getlongresp(self,fileHandle=None):
+    def getlongresp(self, file=None):
         """Internal: get a response plus following text from the server.
         Raise various errors if the response indicates an error."""
 
         openedFile = None
         try:
             # If a string was passed then open a file with that name
-            if isinstance(fileHandle, types.StringType):
-                openedFile = fileHandle = open(fileHandle, "w")
+            if isinstance(file, types.StringType):
+                openedFile = file = open(file, "w")
 
             resp = self.getresp()
             if resp[:3] not in LONGRESP:
@@ -231,8 +231,8 @@ class NNTP:
                     break
                 if line[:2] == '..':
                     line = line[1:]
-                if fileHandle:
-                    fileHandle.write(line + "\n")
+                if file:
+                    file.write(line + "\n")
                 else:
                     list.append(line)
         finally:
@@ -247,10 +247,10 @@ class NNTP:
         self.putcmd(line)
         return self.getresp()
 
-    def longcmd(self, line, fileHandle=None):
+    def longcmd(self, line, file=None):
         """Internal: send a command and get the response plus following text."""
         self.putcmd(line)
-        return self.getlongresp(fileHandle)
+        return self.getlongresp(file)
 
     def newgroups(self, date, time):
         """Process a NEWGROUPS command.  Arguments:
@@ -355,9 +355,9 @@ class NNTP:
         """Process a LAST command.  No arguments.  Return as for STAT."""
         return self.statcmd('LAST')
 
-    def artcmd(self, line, fileHandle=None):
+    def artcmd(self, line, file=None):
         """Internal: process a HEAD, BODY or ARTICLE command."""
-        resp, list = self.longcmd(line,fileHandle)
+        resp, list = self.longcmd(line, file)
         resp, nr, id = self.statparse(resp)
         return resp, nr, id, list
 
@@ -372,18 +372,18 @@ class NNTP:
 
         return self.artcmd('HEAD ' + id)
 
-    def body(self, id, fileHandle=None):
+    def body(self, id, file=None):
         """Process a BODY command.  Argument:
         - id: article number or message id
-        - fileHandle: Filename string or file object to store the article in
+        - file: Filename string or file object to store the article in
         Returns:
         - resp: server response if successful
         - nr: article number
         - id: message id
         - list: the lines of the article's body or an empty list
-                if fileHandle was used"""
+                if file was used"""
 
-        return self.artcmd('BODY ' + id, fileHandle)
+        return self.artcmd('BODY ' + id, file)
 
     def article(self, id):
         """Process an ARTICLE command.  Argument: