diff --git a/src/pkg/go/types/builtins.go b/src/pkg/go/types/builtins.go
index 3875a3cac9..867f1e9c6d 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/types/builtins.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/types/builtins.go
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func (check *checker) builtin(x *operand, call *ast.CallExpr, bin *builtin, iota
 			goto Error
 		}
 
-		if !isIdentical(x.typ, y.typ) {
+		if !IsIdentical(x.typ, y.typ) {
 			check.invalidArg(x.pos(), "mismatched types %s and %s", x.typ, y.typ)
 			goto Error
 		}
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func (check *checker) builtin(x *operand, call *ast.CallExpr, bin *builtin, iota
 			goto Error
 		}
 
-		if !isIdentical(dst, src) {
+		if !IsIdentical(dst, src) {
 			check.invalidArg(x.pos(), "arguments to copy %s and %s have different element types %s and %s", x, &y, dst, src)
 			goto Error
 		}
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/types/conversions.go b/src/pkg/go/types/conversions.go
index 0c7c9f706d..65359f319d 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/types/conversions.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/types/conversions.go
@@ -58,14 +58,14 @@ func (x *operand) isConvertible(T Type) bool {
 	V := x.typ
 	Vu := underlying(V)
 	Tu := underlying(T)
-	if isIdentical(Vu, Tu) {
+	if IsIdentical(Vu, Tu) {
 		return true
 	}
 
 	// "x's type and T are unnamed pointer types and their pointer base types have identical underlying types"
 	if V, ok := V.(*Pointer); ok {
 		if T, ok := T.(*Pointer); ok {
-			if isIdentical(underlying(V.Base), underlying(T.Base)) {
+			if IsIdentical(underlying(V.Base), underlying(T.Base)) {
 				return true
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/types/expr.go b/src/pkg/go/types/expr.go
index f475cacc5a..696a0cae68 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/types/expr.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/types/expr.go
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ func (check *checker) binary(x, y *operand, op token.Token, hint Type) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if !isIdentical(x.typ, y.typ) {
+	if !IsIdentical(x.typ, y.typ) {
 		check.invalidOp(x.pos(), "mismatched types %s and %s", x.typ, y.typ)
 		x.mode = invalid
 		return
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/types/operand.go b/src/pkg/go/types/operand.go
index ee6ae0c522..6c2281027c 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/types/operand.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/types/operand.go
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func (x *operand) isAssignable(T Type) bool {
 	V := x.typ
 
 	// x's type is identical to T
-	if isIdentical(V, T) {
+	if IsIdentical(V, T) {
 		return true
 	}
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (x *operand) isAssignable(T Type) bool {
 
 	// x's type V and T have identical underlying types
 	// and at least one of V or T is not a named type
-	if isIdentical(Vu, Tu) {
+	if IsIdentical(Vu, Tu) {
 		return !isNamed(V) || !isNamed(T)
 	}
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (x *operand) isAssignable(T Type) bool {
 	// type, x's type V and T have identical element types,
 	// and at least one of V or T is not a named type
 	if Vc, ok := Vu.(*Chan); ok && Vc.Dir == ast.SEND|ast.RECV {
-		if Tc, ok := Tu.(*Chan); ok && isIdentical(Vc.Elt, Tc.Elt) {
+		if Tc, ok := Tu.(*Chan); ok && IsIdentical(Vc.Elt, Tc.Elt) {
 			return !isNamed(V) || !isNamed(T)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/go/types/predicates.go b/src/pkg/go/types/predicates.go
index 21781ea979..3468da5a57 100644
--- a/src/pkg/go/types/predicates.go
+++ b/src/pkg/go/types/predicates.go
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ func hasNil(typ Type) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// identical returns true if x and y are identical.
-func isIdentical(x, y Type) bool {
+// IsIdentical returns true if x and y are identical.
+func IsIdentical(x, y Type) bool {
 	if x == y {
 		return true
 	}
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ func isIdentical(x, y Type) bool {
 		// Two array types are identical if they have identical element types
 		// and the same array length.
 		if y, ok := y.(*Array); ok {
-			return x.Len == y.Len && isIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
+			return x.Len == y.Len && IsIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
 		}
 
 	case *Slice:
 		// Two slice types are identical if they have identical element types.
 		if y, ok := y.(*Slice); ok {
-			return isIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
+			return IsIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
 		}
 
 	case *Struct:
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func isIdentical(x, y Type) bool {
 				for i, f := range x.Fields {
 					g := y.Fields[i]
 					if !f.QualifiedName.IsSame(g.QualifiedName) ||
-						!isIdentical(f.Type, g.Type) ||
+						!IsIdentical(f.Type, g.Type) ||
 						f.Tag != g.Tag ||
 						f.IsAnonymous != g.IsAnonymous {
 						return false
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func isIdentical(x, y Type) bool {
 	case *Pointer:
 		// Two pointer types are identical if they have identical base types.
 		if y, ok := y.(*Pointer); ok {
-			return isIdentical(x.Base, y.Base)
+			return IsIdentical(x.Base, y.Base)
 		}
 
 	case *Signature:
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ func isIdentical(x, y Type) bool {
 	case *Map:
 		// Two map types are identical if they have identical key and value types.
 		if y, ok := y.(*Map); ok {
-			return isIdentical(x.Key, y.Key) && isIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
+			return IsIdentical(x.Key, y.Key) && IsIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
 		}
 
 	case *Chan:
 		// Two channel types are identical if they have identical value types
 		// and the same direction.
 		if y, ok := y.(*Chan); ok {
-			return x.Dir == y.Dir && isIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
+			return x.Dir == y.Dir && IsIdentical(x.Elt, y.Elt)
 		}
 
 	case *NamedType:
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func identicalTypes(a, b []*Var) bool {
 	}
 	for i, x := range a {
 		y := b[i]
-		if !isIdentical(x.Type, y.Type) {
+		if !IsIdentical(x.Type, y.Type) {
 			return false
 		}
 	}
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func identicalMethods(a, b []*Method) bool {
 		m[x.QualifiedName] = x
 	}
 	for _, y := range b {
-		if x := m[y.QualifiedName]; x == nil || !isIdentical(x.Type, y.Type) {
+		if x := m[y.QualifiedName]; x == nil || !IsIdentical(x.Type, y.Type) {
 			return false
 		}
 	}
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ func missingMethod(typ Type, T *Interface) (method *Method, wrongType bool) {
 	if ityp, _ := underlying(typ).(*Interface); ityp != nil {
 		for _, m := range T.Methods {
 			mode, sig := lookupField(ityp, m.QualifiedName) // TODO(gri) no need to go via lookupField
-			if mode != invalid && !isIdentical(sig, m.Type) {
+			if mode != invalid && !IsIdentical(sig, m.Type) {
 				return m, true
 			}
 		}
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func missingMethod(typ Type, T *Interface) (method *Method, wrongType bool) {
 		if mode == invalid {
 			return m, false
 		}
-		if !isIdentical(sig, m.Type) {
+		if !IsIdentical(sig, m.Type) {
 			return m, true
 		}
 	}