diff --git a/lib/parfait/message.rb b/lib/parfait/message.rb
index ba147e8c..b6ca7cc0 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/message.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/message.rb
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@
 module Parfait
   class Message < Object
 
-    # :next_message => :Message, :receiver => :Object, :locals => :NamedList ,
+    # :next_message => :Message, :receiver => :Object, :frame => :NamedList ,
     # :return_address => :Integer, :return_value => :Integer,
     # :caller => :Message , :name => :Word , :arguments => :NamedList
 
     attr_accessor :next_message
-    attr_reader   :receiver  , :locals
+    attr_reader   :receiver  , :frame
     attr_reader   :return_address, :return_value
     attr_reader   :caller , :name , :arguments
 
diff --git a/lib/parfait/typed_method.rb b/lib/parfait/typed_method.rb
index 74d519e1..8cfa571c 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/typed_method.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/typed_method.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ module Parfait
 
   class TypedMethod < Object
 
-    attr_reader :name , :instructions , :for_type ,:arguments , :locals , :binary
+    attr_reader :name , :instructions , :for_type ,:arguments , :frame , :binary
 
     # not part of the parfait model, hence ruby accessor
     attr_accessor :source
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ module Parfait
       @name = name
       @binary = BinaryCode.new 0
       @arguments = arguments
-      @locals = Parfait.object_space.get_class_by_name( :NamedList ).instance_type
+      @frame = Parfait.object_space.get_class_by_name( :NamedList ).instance_type
     end
 
     def set_instructions(inst)
@@ -67,26 +67,26 @@ module Parfait
     # determine if method has a local variable or tmp (anonymous local) by given name
     def has_local( name )
       raise "has_local #{name}.#{name.class}" unless name.is_a? Symbol
-      index = locals.variable_index( name )
+      index = frame.variable_index( name )
       index ? (index - 1) : index
     end
 
     def add_local( name , type )
       index = has_local name
       return index if index
-      @locals = @locals.add_instance_variable(name,type)
+      @frame = @frame.add_instance_variable(name,type)
     end
 
-    def locals_length
+    def frame_length
       locals.instance_length - 1
     end
 
     def locals_name( index )
-      locals.names.get(index + 1)
+      frame.names.get(index + 1)
     end
 
     def locals_type( index )
-      locals.types.get(index + 1)
+      frame.types.get(index + 1)
     end
 
     def sof_reference_name
diff --git a/lib/parfait/vool_method.rb b/lib/parfait/vool_method.rb
index 036d33ce..f11c4076 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/vool_method.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/vool_method.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module Parfait
   #
   class VoolMethod
 
-    attr_reader :name , :args_type , :locals_type , :source
+    attr_reader :name , :args_type , :frame_type , :source
 
     def initialize(name , args_type , locals_type , source )
       @name , @args_type , @locals_type , @source = name , args_type, locals_type , source
diff --git a/lib/risc/boot.rb b/lib/risc/boot.rb
index 13824a5c..148f0f4e 100644
--- a/lib/risc/boot.rb
+++ b/lib/risc/boot.rb
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ module Risc
     def type_names
        {  :Word => {:char_length => :Integer} ,
           :List => {:indexed_length => :Integer} ,
-          :Message => { :next_message => :Message, :receiver => :Object, :locals => :NamedList ,
+          :Message => { :next_message => :Message, :receiver => :Object, :frame => :NamedList ,
                         :return_address => :Integer, :return_value => :Integer,
                         :caller => :Message , :name => :Word , :arguments => :NamedList },
           :Integer => {},
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ module Risc
                       :super_class_name => :Word , :instance_names => :List },
           :Dictionary => {:keys => :List , :values => :List  } ,
           :TypedMethod => {:name => :Word, :source => :Object, :instructions => :Object, :binary => :Object,
-                      :arguments => :Type , :for_type => :Type, :locals => :Type } ,
+                      :arguments => :Type , :for_type => :Type, :frame => :Type } ,
         }
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/risc/method_compiler.rb b/lib/risc/method_compiler.rb
index a17fc499..ca4e9f4a 100644
--- a/lib/risc/method_compiler.rb
+++ b/lib/risc/method_compiler.rb
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ module Risc
       @current = @method.set_instructions( Risc.label(source, name))
 
       # add the type of the locals to the existing NamedList instance
-      locals_reg = use_reg(:Type , method.locals )
+      frame_reg = use_reg(:Type , method.frame )
       list_reg = use_reg(:NamedList )
-      add_load_constant("#{name} load locals type", method.locals , locals_reg)
-      add_slot_to_reg( "#{name} get locals from method" , :message , :locals , list_reg )
-      add_reg_to_slot( "#{name} store locals type in locals" , locals_reg , list_reg , 1  )
+      add_load_constant("#{name} load frame type", method.frame , frame_reg)
+      add_slot_to_reg( "#{name} get frame from method" , :message , :frame , list_reg )
+      add_reg_to_slot( "#{name} store frame type in frame" , frame_reg , list_reg , 1  )
 
       enter = @current # this is where method body goes
       add_label( source, "return #{name}")
@@ -89,9 +89,19 @@ module Risc
       @current = c
     end
 
-    # add an instruction after the current (insertion point)
+    # convert the given mom instruction to_risc and then add it (see add_code)
+    # continue down the instruction chain unti depleted
+    # (adding moves the insertion point so the whole mom chain is added as a risc chain)
+    def add_mom( instruction )
+      while( instruction )
+        risc = instruction.to_risc( self )
+        add_code(risc)
+        instruction = instruction.next
+      end
+    end
+    # add a risc instruction after the current (insertion point)
     # the added instruction will become the new insertion point
-    def add_code instruction
+    def add_code( instruction )
       raise instruction.to_s unless  instruction.is_a?(Risc::Instruction)
       raise instruction.to_s if( instruction.class.name.split("::").first == "Arm")
       @current.insert(instruction) #insert after current
@@ -99,6 +109,8 @@ module Risc
       self
     end
 
+    # for computationally building code (ie writing assembler) these short cuts
+    # help to instantiate risc instructions and add them immediately
     [:label, :reg_to_slot , :slot_to_reg , :load_constant, :function_return ,
       :transfer , :reg_to_slot , :byte_to_reg , :reg_to_byte].each do |method|
       define_method("add_#{method}".to_sym) do |*args|
@@ -120,13 +132,13 @@ module Risc
 
     def copy( reg , source )
       copied = use_reg reg.type
-      add_code Reister.transfer source , reg , copied
+      add_code Register.transfer( source , reg , copied )
       copied
     end
 
     # releasing a register (accuired by use_reg) makes it available for use again
     # thus avoiding possibly using too many registers
-    def release_reg reg
+    def release_reg( reg )
       last = @regs.pop
       raise "released register in wrong order, expect #{last} but was #{reg}" if reg != last
     end
diff --git a/stash/vm/method_compiler/name_expression.rb b/stash/vm/method_compiler/name_expression.rb
index 570014af..570e2a9a 100644
--- a/stash/vm/method_compiler/name_expression.rb
+++ b/stash/vm/method_compiler/name_expression.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ module Vm
         index = @method.has_local( name )
         raise "must define local '#{name}' before using it" unless index
         named_list = use_reg :NamedList
-        add_slot_to_reg("#{name} load locals" , :message , :locals , named_list )
+        add_slot_to_reg("#{name} load locals" , :message , :frame , named_list )
         ret = use_reg @method.locals_type( index )
         add_slot_to_reg("#{name} load from locals" , named_list , index + 1, ret )
         return ret
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_message.rb b/test/parfait/test_message.rb
index cde4e936..47e6fa77 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_message.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_message.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module Parfait
       assert_equal Message ,  @mess.next_message.class
     end
     def test_locals
-      assert_equal NamedList , @mess.locals.class
+      assert_equal NamedList , @mess.frame.class
     end
     def test_arguments
       assert_equal NamedList , @mess.arguments.class
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_named_list.rb b/test/parfait/test_named_list.rb
index 5ebcda54..41cd183f 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_named_list.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_named_list.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class TestNamedLists < MiniTest::Test
   def setup
     Risc.machine.boot
     @space = Parfait.object_space
-    @named_list = @space.first_message.locals
+    @named_list = @space.first_message.frame
     @type = @named_list.get_type
   end
 
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_space.rb b/test/parfait/test_space.rb
index 0c71c6d4..cef409ca 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_space.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_space.rb
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class TestSpace < MiniTest::Test
     all = []
     while mess
       all << mess
-      assert mess.locals
+      assert mess.frame
       mess = mess.next_message
     end
     assert_equal all.length , all.uniq.length
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_typed_method.rb b/test/parfait/test_typed_method.rb
index 24cb1b19..2d2ebad6 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_typed_method.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_typed_method.rb
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ class TestMethod < MiniTest::Test
   end
 
   def test_local1
-    assert_equal 2 , @method.locals_length , @method.locals.inspect
-    assert_equal Symbol , @method.locals.names.first.class
+    assert_equal 2 , @method.frame_length , @method.frame.inspect
+    assert_equal Symbol , @method.frame.names.first.class
     assert_equal :local_bar , @method.locals_name(1)
   end
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class TestMethod < MiniTest::Test
 
   def test_add_local
     @method.add_local(:foo2 , :Object)
-    assert_equal 3 , @method.locals_length
+    assert_equal 3 , @method.frame_length
     assert_equal :foo2 , @method.locals_name(3)
     assert_equal :Object , @method.locals_type(3)
   end