diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py
index f96505630ae..c0fa1fccbe1 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/__init__.py
@@ -97,13 +97,6 @@ def Manager():
     m.start()
     return m
 
-def Pipe(duplex=True):
-    '''
-    Returns two connection object connected by a pipe
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.connection import Pipe
-    return Pipe(duplex)
-
 def cpu_count():
     '''
     Returns the number of CPUs in the system
@@ -138,134 +131,28 @@ def freeze_support():
         from multiprocessing.forking import freeze_support
         freeze_support()
 
-def get_logger():
-    '''
-    Return package logger -- if it does not already exist then it is created
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.util import get_logger
-    return get_logger()
-
-def log_to_stderr(level=None):
-    '''
-    Turn on logging and add a handler which prints to stderr
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.util import log_to_stderr
-    return log_to_stderr(level)
-
 def allow_connection_pickling():
     '''
     Install support for sending connections and sockets between processes
     '''
     from multiprocessing import reduction
 
+# Alias some names from submodules in the package namespace
+from multiprocessing.connection import Pipe
+from multiprocessing.util import (get_logger, log_to_stderr)
+
 #
 # Definitions depending on native semaphores
 #
-
-def Lock():
-    '''
-    Returns a non-recursive lock object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Lock
-    return Lock()
-
-def RLock():
-    '''
-    Returns a recursive lock object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.synchronize import RLock
-    return RLock()
-
-def Condition(lock=None):
-    '''
-    Returns a condition object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Condition
-    return Condition(lock)
-
-def Semaphore(value=1):
-    '''
-    Returns a semaphore object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Semaphore
-    return Semaphore(value)
-
-def BoundedSemaphore(value=1):
-    '''
-    Returns a bounded semaphore object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.synchronize import BoundedSemaphore
-    return BoundedSemaphore(value)
-
-def Event():
-    '''
-    Returns an event object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.synchronize import Event
-    return Event()
-
-def Queue(maxsize=0):
-    '''
-    Returns a queue object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.queues import Queue
-    return Queue(maxsize)
-
-def JoinableQueue(maxsize=0):
-    '''
-    Returns a queue object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.queues import JoinableQueue
-    return JoinableQueue(maxsize)
-
-def Pool(processes=None, initializer=None, initargs=()):
-    '''
-    Returns a process pool object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.pool import Pool
-    return Pool(processes, initializer, initargs)
-
-def RawValue(typecode_or_type, *args):
-    '''
-    Returns a shared object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import RawValue
-    return RawValue(typecode_or_type, *args)
-
-def RawArray(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer):
-    '''
-    Returns a shared array
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import RawArray
-    return RawArray(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer)
-
-def Value(typecode_or_type, *args, **kwds):
-    '''
-    Returns a synchronized shared object
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import Value
-    return Value(typecode_or_type, *args, **kwds)
-
-def Array(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer, **kwds):
-    '''
-    Returns a synchronized shared array
-    '''
-    from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import Array
-    return Array(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer, **kwds)
-
-#
-#
-#
+# Alias some names from submodules in the package namespace
+from multiprocessing.synchronize import (Lock, RLock, Condition, Event,
+                                         Semaphore, BoundedSemaphore)
+from multiprocessing.queues import (Queue, JoinableQueue)
+from multiprocessing.pool import Pool
+from multiprocessing.sharedctypes import (RawValue, Value,
+                                          RawArray, Array)
 
 if sys.platform == 'win32':
-
-    def set_executable(executable):
-        '''
-        Sets the path to a python.exe or pythonw.exe binary used to run
-        child processes on Windows instead of sys.executable.
-        Useful for people embedding Python.
-        '''
-        from multiprocessing.forking import set_executable
-        set_executable(executable)
+    from multiprocessing.forking import set_executable
 
     __all__ += ['set_executable']
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py
index 0054ff1822e..5ca8fb8bfbc 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/sharedctypes.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def RawArray(typecode_or_type, size_or_initializer):
 
 def Value(typecode_or_type, *args, **kwds):
     '''
-    Return a synchronization wrapper for a Value
+    Return a synchronization wrapper for a RawValue
     '''
     lock = kwds.pop('lock', None)
     if kwds:
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py
index 428656a5b15..3e21dfec853 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/synchronize.py
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ class SemLock(object):
 #
 
 class Semaphore(SemLock):
-
+    '''
+    A semaphore object
+    '''
     def __init__(self, value=1):
         SemLock.__init__(self, SEMAPHORE, value, SEM_VALUE_MAX)
 
@@ -84,7 +86,9 @@ class Semaphore(SemLock):
 #
 
 class BoundedSemaphore(Semaphore):
-
+    '''
+    A bounded semaphore object
+    '''
     def __init__(self, value=1):
         SemLock.__init__(self, SEMAPHORE, value, value)
 
@@ -101,7 +105,9 @@ class BoundedSemaphore(Semaphore):
 #
 
 class Lock(SemLock):
-
+    '''
+    A non-recursive lock object
+    '''
     def __init__(self):
         SemLock.__init__(self, SEMAPHORE, 1, 1)
 
@@ -126,7 +132,9 @@ class Lock(SemLock):
 #
 
 class RLock(SemLock):
-
+    '''
+    A recursive lock object
+    '''
     def __init__(self):
         SemLock.__init__(self, RECURSIVE_MUTEX, 1, 1)
 
@@ -152,6 +160,9 @@ class RLock(SemLock):
 #
 
 class Condition(object):
+    '''
+    A condition object
+    '''
 
     def __init__(self, lock=None):
         self._lock = lock or RLock()
@@ -252,7 +263,9 @@ class Condition(object):
 #
 
 class Event(object):
-
+    '''
+    An event object
+    '''
     def __init__(self):
         self._cond = Condition(Lock())
         self._flag = Semaphore(0)
diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py
index 7d53512725c..c3e811c4dad 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/util.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def sub_warning(msg, *args):
 
 def get_logger():
     '''
-    Returns logger used by multiprocessing
+    Return package logger -- if it does not already exist then it is created
     '''
     global _logger