diff --git a/scumm/saveload.cpp b/scumm/saveload.cpp
index 486542b104f..cea086a5b69 100644
--- a/scumm/saveload.cpp
+++ b/scumm/saveload.cpp
@@ -571,23 +571,23 @@ void ScummEngine::saveOrLoad(Serializer *s, uint32 savegameVersion) {
 	};
 
 	const SaveLoadEntry stringTabEntries[] = {
-		// Then backup/restore of a StringTab entry becomes a one liner.
+		// Then _default/restore of a StringTab entry becomes a one liner.
 		MKLINE(StringTab, xpos, sleInt16, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.xpos, sleInt16, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.xpos, sleInt16, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, ypos, sleInt16, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.ypos, sleInt16, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.ypos, sleInt16, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, right, sleInt16, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.right, sleInt16, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.right, sleInt16, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, color, sleInt8, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.color, sleInt8, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.color, sleInt8, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, charset, sleInt8, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.charset, sleInt8, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.charset, sleInt8, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, center, sleByte, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.center, sleByte, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.center, sleByte, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, overhead, sleByte, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.overhead, sleByte, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.overhead, sleByte, VER(8)),
 		MKLINE(StringTab, no_talk_anim, sleByte, VER(8)),
-		MKLINE(StringTab, backup.no_talk_anim, sleByte, VER(8)),
+		MKLINE(StringTab, _default.no_talk_anim, sleByte, VER(8)),
 		MKEND()
 	};
 
diff --git a/scumm/script_v2.cpp b/scumm/script_v2.cpp
index 9133d95ad22..30de09802c5 100644
--- a/scumm/script_v2.cpp
+++ b/scumm/script_v2.cpp
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v2::o2_verbOps() {
 			vs->dimcolor = 8;
 		}
 		vs->type = kTextVerbType;
-		vs->charset_nr = _string[0].backup.charset;
+		vs->charset_nr = _string[0]._default.charset;
 		vs->curmode = 1;
 		vs->saveid = 0;
 		vs->key = 0;
diff --git a/scumm/script_v5.cpp b/scumm/script_v5.cpp
index f1813377c71..6eeb983eeef 100644
--- a/scumm/script_v5.cpp
+++ b/scumm/script_v5.cpp
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v5::o5_cursorCommand() {
 		} else {
 			getWordVararg(table);
 			for (i = 0; i < 16; i++)
-				_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[_string[1].backup.charset][i] = (unsigned char)table[i];
+				_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[_string[1]._default.charset][i] = (unsigned char)table[i];
 		}
 		break;
 	}
@@ -2405,7 +2405,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v5::o5_verbOps() {
 			vs->hicolor = (_version == 3) ? 14 : 0;
 			vs->dimcolor = 8;
 			vs->type = kTextVerbType;
-			vs->charset_nr = _string[0].backup.charset;
+			vs->charset_nr = _string[0]._default.charset;
 			vs->curmode = 0;
 			vs->saveid = 0;
 			vs->key = 0;
@@ -2616,7 +2616,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v5::decodeParseString() {
 		textSlot = 0;
 	}
 
-	_string[textSlot].restoreString();
+	_string[textSlot].loadDefault();
 
 	while ((_opcode = fetchScriptByte()) != 0xFF) {
 		switch (_opcode & 0xF) {
@@ -2709,9 +2709,9 @@ void ScummEngine_v5::decodeParseString() {
  			// speaks during the intro are put at position 0,0.
  			// In addition, Loom needs to remember the text colour.
 			if (_gameId == GID_LOOM || _gameId == GID_INDY3) {
-				_string[textSlot].backup.xpos = _string[textSlot].xpos;
-				_string[textSlot].backup.ypos = _string[textSlot].ypos;
- 				_string[textSlot].backup.color = _string[textSlot].color;
+				_string[textSlot]._default.xpos = _string[textSlot].xpos;
+				_string[textSlot]._default.ypos = _string[textSlot].ypos;
+ 				_string[textSlot]._default.color = _string[textSlot].color;
 			}
 			return;
 		default:
@@ -2720,7 +2720,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v5::decodeParseString() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	_string[textSlot].backupString();
+	_string[textSlot].saveDefault();
 }
 
 void ScummEngine_v5::o5_oldRoomEffect() {
diff --git a/scumm/script_v6.cpp b/scumm/script_v6.cpp
index 5306c9be72a..169e6ae12e3 100644
--- a/scumm/script_v6.cpp
+++ b/scumm/script_v6.cpp
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v6::o6_cursorCommand() {
 	case 0x9D:		// SO_CHARSET_COLOR
 		getStackList(args, ARRAYSIZE(args));
 		for (i = 0; i < 16; i++)
-			_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[_string[1].backup.charset][i] = (unsigned char)args[i];
+			_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[_string[1]._default.charset][i] = (unsigned char)args[i];
 		break;
 	case 0xD6:		// SO_CURSOR_TRANSPARENT Set cursor transparent color
 		makeCursorColorTransparent(pop());
@@ -1925,7 +1925,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v6::o6_verbOps() {
 		vs->hicolor = 0;
 		vs->dimcolor = 8;
 		vs->type = kTextVerbType;
-		vs->charset_nr = _string[0].backup.charset;
+		vs->charset_nr = _string[0]._default.charset;
 		vs->curmode = 0;
 		vs->saveid = 0;
 		vs->key = 0;
@@ -2294,7 +2294,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v6::o6_printEgo() {
 void ScummEngine_v6::o6_talkActor() {
 	_actorToPrintStrFor = pop();
 
-	_string[0].restoreString();
+	_string[0].loadDefault();
 	actorTalk(_scriptPointer);
 
 	_scriptPointer += resStrLen(_scriptPointer) + 1;
@@ -3119,12 +3119,12 @@ void ScummEngine_v6::decodeParseString(int m, int n) {
 
 		break;
 	case 0xFE:
-		_string[m].restoreString();
+		_string[m].loadDefault();
 		if (n)
 			_actorToPrintStrFor = pop();
 		break;
 	case 0xFF:
-		_string[m].backupString();
+		_string[m].saveDefault();
 		break;
 	default:
 		error("decodeParseString: default case 0x%x", b);
diff --git a/scumm/script_v6he.cpp b/scumm/script_v6he.cpp
index 9116436fb4e..9e0b52a22f1 100644
--- a/scumm/script_v6he.cpp
+++ b/scumm/script_v6he.cpp
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v6he::o6_verbOps() {
 		vs->hicolor = 0;
 		vs->dimcolor = 8;
 		vs->type = kTextVerbType;
-		vs->charset_nr = _string[0].backup.charset;
+		vs->charset_nr = _string[0]._default.charset;
 		vs->curmode = 0;
 		vs->saveid = 0;
 		vs->key = 0;
@@ -1463,12 +1463,12 @@ void ScummEngine_v6he::decodeParseString(int m, int n) {
 		warning("decodeParseString case 0xF9 stub");
 		break;
 	case 0xFE:
-		_string[m].restoreString();
+		_string[m].loadDefault();
 		if (n)
 			_actorToPrintStrFor = pop();
 		break;
 	case 0xFF:
-		_string[m].backupString();
+		_string[m].saveDefault();
 		break;
 	default:
 		error("decodeParseString: default case 0x%x", b);
diff --git a/scumm/script_v8.cpp b/scumm/script_v8.cpp
index 7a86e404e87..de7467bc0fd 100644
--- a/scumm/script_v8.cpp
+++ b/scumm/script_v8.cpp
@@ -472,12 +472,12 @@ void ScummEngine_v8::decodeParseString(int m, int n) {
 
 	switch (b) {
 	case 0xC8:		// SO_PRINT_BASEOP
-		_string[m].restoreString();
+		_string[m].loadDefault();
 		if (n)
 			_actorToPrintStrFor = pop();
 		break;
 	case 0xC9:		// SO_PRINT_END
-		_string[m].backupString();
+		_string[m].saveDefault();
 		break;
 	case 0xCA:		// SO_PRINT_AT
 		_string[m].ypos = pop();
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v8::o8_cursorCommand() {
 	case 0xE8:		// SO_CHARSET_COLOR
 		getStackList(args, ARRAYSIZE(args));
 		for (i = 0; i < 16; i++)
-			_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[_string[1].backup.charset][i] = (unsigned char)args[i];
+			_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[_string[1]._default.charset][i] = (unsigned char)args[i];
 		break;
 	case 0xE9: 		// SO_CURSOR_PUT
 		{
@@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ void ScummEngine_v8::o8_verbOps() {
 		vs->hicolor = 0;
 		vs->dimcolor = 8;
 		vs->type = kTextVerbType;
-		vs->charset_nr = _string[0].backup.charset;
+		vs->charset_nr = _string[0]._default.charset;
 		vs->curmode = 0;
 		vs->saveid = 0;
 		vs->key = 0;
diff --git a/scumm/scumm.cpp b/scumm/scumm.cpp
index 780282ed6ac..d9a7ebba915 100644
--- a/scumm/scumm.cpp
+++ b/scumm/scumm.cpp
@@ -1132,16 +1132,16 @@ void ScummEngine::scummInit() {
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
 		if (_version == 3) { // FIXME - what is this?
-			_string[i].backup.xpos = 0;
-			_string[i].backup.ypos = 0;
+			_string[i]._default.xpos = 0;
+			_string[i]._default.ypos = 0;
 		} else {
-			_string[i].backup.xpos = 2;
-			_string[i].backup.ypos = 5;
+			_string[i]._default.xpos = 2;
+			_string[i]._default.ypos = 5;
 		}
-		_string[i].backup.right = _screenWidth - 1;
-		_string[i].backup.color = 0xF;
-		_string[i].backup.center = 0;
-		_string[i].backup.charset = 0;
+		_string[i]._default.right = _screenWidth - 1;
+		_string[i]._default.color = 0xF;
+		_string[i]._default.center = 0;
+		_string[i]._default.charset = 0;
 	}
 
 	// all keys are released
diff --git a/scumm/scumm.h b/scumm/scumm.h
index 9808d12582f..e7971cb5869 100644
--- a/scumm/scumm.h
+++ b/scumm/scumm.h
@@ -264,16 +264,19 @@ struct StringSlot {
 };
 
 struct StringTab : StringSlot {
-	StringSlot backup;
+	// The 'default' values for this string slot. This is used so that the
+	// string slot can temporarily be set to different values, and then be
+	// easily reset to a previously set default.
+	StringSlot _default;
 
-	void backupString() {
+	void saveDefault() {
 		StringSlot &s = *this;
-		backup = s;
+		_default = s;
 	}
 
-	void restoreString() {
+	void loadDefault() {
 		StringSlot &s = *this;
-		s = backup;
+		s = _default;
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/scumm/string.cpp b/scumm/string.cpp
index 78537774944..01748f16137 100644
--- a/scumm/string.cpp
+++ b/scumm/string.cpp
@@ -598,8 +598,8 @@ void ScummEngine::initCharset(int charsetno) {
 	if (!getResourceAddress(rtCharset, charsetno))
 		loadCharset(charsetno);
 
-	_string[0].backup.charset = charsetno;
-	_string[1].backup.charset = charsetno;
+	_string[0]._default.charset = charsetno;
+	_string[1]._default.charset = charsetno;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 16; i++)
 		_charsetColorMap[i] = _charsetData[charsetno][i];