diff --git a/mercurial/filemerge.py b/mercurial/filemerge.py
--- a/mercurial/filemerge.py
+++ b/mercurial/filemerge.py
@@ -230,8 +230,8 @@ def _matcheol(file, origfile):
 
 @internaltool('prompt', nomerge)
 def _iprompt(repo, mynode, orig, fcd, fco, fca, toolconf):
-    """Asks the user which of the local (p1) or the other (p2) version to keep
-    as the merged version."""
+    """Asks the user which of the local `p1()` or the other `p2()` version to
+    keep as the merged version."""
     ui = repo.ui
     fd = fcd.path()
 
@@ -268,12 +268,12 @@ def _iprompt(repo, mynode, orig, fcd, fc
 
 @internaltool('local', nomerge)
 def _ilocal(repo, mynode, orig, fcd, fco, fca, toolconf):
-    """Uses the local (p1) version of files as the merged version."""
+    """Uses the local `p1()` version of files as the merged version."""
     return 0, fcd.isabsent()
 
 @internaltool('other', nomerge)
 def _iother(repo, mynode, orig, fcd, fco, fca, toolconf):
-    """Uses the other (p2) version of files as the merged version."""
+    """Uses the other `p2()` version of files as the merged version."""
     if fco.isabsent():
         # local changed, remote deleted -- 'deleted' picked
         repo.wvfs.unlinkpath(fcd.path())
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ def _imergeauto(repo, mynode, orig, fcd,
 def _imergelocal(*args, **kwargs):
     """
     Like :merge, but resolve all conflicts non-interactively in favor
-    of the local (p1) changes."""
+    of the local `p1()` changes."""
     success, status = _imergeauto(localorother='local', *args, **kwargs)
     return success, status, False
 
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ def _imergelocal(*args, **kwargs):
 def _imergeother(*args, **kwargs):
     """
     Like :merge, but resolve all conflicts non-interactively in favor
-    of the other (p2) changes."""
+    of the other `p2()` changes."""
     success, status = _imergeauto(localorother='other', *args, **kwargs)
     return success, status, False
 
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -1540,7 +1540,7 @@ Test dynamic list of merge tools only sh
         to resolve these conflicts.
   
       ":local"
-        Uses the local (p1) version of files as the merged version.
+        Uses the local 'p1()' version of files as the merged version.
   
       ":merge"
         Uses the internal non-interactive simple merge algorithm for merging
@@ -1550,11 +1550,11 @@ Test dynamic list of merge tools only sh
   
       ":merge-local"
         Like :merge, but resolve all conflicts non-interactively in favor of the
-        local (p1) changes.
+        local 'p1()' changes.
   
       ":merge-other"
         Like :merge, but resolve all conflicts non-interactively in favor of the
-        other (p2) changes.
+        other 'p2()' changes.
   
       ":merge3"
         Uses the internal non-interactive simple merge algorithm for merging
@@ -1563,11 +1563,11 @@ Test dynamic list of merge tools only sh
         side of the merge and one for the base content.
   
       ":other"
-        Uses the other (p2) version of files as the merged version.
+        Uses the other 'p2()' version of files as the merged version.
   
       ":prompt"
-        Asks the user which of the local (p1) or the other (p2) version to keep
-        as the merged version.
+        Asks the user which of the local 'p1()' or the other 'p2()' version to
+        keep as the merged version.
   
       ":tagmerge"
         Uses the internal tag merge algorithm (experimental).