diff --git a/openerp/osv/orm.py b/openerp/osv/orm.py
index 2a8553e122b..246187a5424 100644
--- a/openerp/osv/orm.py
+++ b/openerp/osv/orm.py
@@ -4591,17 +4591,21 @@ class BaseModel(object):
                     return False
         return True
 
-    def _get_xml_ids(self, cr, uid, ids, *args, **kwargs):
-        """Find out the XML ID(s) of any database record.
+    def _get_external_ids(self, cr, uid, ids, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Retrieve the External ID(s) of any database record.
 
         **Synopsis**: ``_get_xml_ids(cr, uid, ids) -> { 'id': ['module.xml_id'] }``
 
-        :return: map of ids to the list of their fully qualified XML IDs
-                 (empty list when there's none).
+        :return: map of ids to the list of their fully qualified External IDs
+                 in the form ``module.key``, or an empty list when there's no External
+                 ID for a record, e.g.::
+
+                     { 'id': ['module.ext_id', 'module.ext_id_bis'],
+                       'id2': [] }
         """
-        model_data_obj = self.pool.get('ir.model.data')
-        data_ids = model_data_obj.search(cr, uid, [('model', '=', self._name), ('res_id', 'in', ids)])
-        data_results = model_data_obj.read(cr, uid, data_ids, ['module', 'name', 'res_id'])
+        ir_model_data = self.pool.get('ir.model.data')
+        data_ids = ir_model_data.search(cr, uid, [('model', '=', self._name), ('res_id', 'in', ids)])
+        data_results = ir_model_data.read(cr, uid, data_ids, ['module', 'name', 'res_id'])
         result = {}
         for id in ids:
             # can't use dict.fromkeys() as the list would be shared!
@@ -4610,29 +4614,35 @@ class BaseModel(object):
             result[record['res_id']].append('%(module)s.%(name)s' % record)
         return result
 
-    def get_xml_id(self, cr, uid, ids, *args, **kwargs):
-        """Find out the XML ID of any database record, if there
+    def get_external_id(self, cr, uid, ids, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Retrieve the External ID of any database record, if there
         is one. This method works as a possible implementation
         for a function field, to be able to add it to any
-        model object easily, referencing it as ``osv.osv.get_xml_id``.
+        model object easily, referencing it as ``Model.get_external_id``.
 
-        When multiple XML IDs exist for a record, only one
+        When multiple External IDs exist for a record, only one
         of them is returned (randomly).
 
-        **Synopsis**: ``get_xml_id(cr, uid, ids) -> { 'id': 'module.xml_id' }``
-
         :return: map of ids to their fully qualified XML ID,
                  defaulting to an empty string when there's none
-                 (to be usable as a function field).
+                 (to be usable as a function field), 
+                 e.g.::
+
+                     { 'id': 'module.ext_id',
+                       'id2': '' }
         """
         results = self._get_xml_ids(cr, uid, ids)
-        for k, v in results.items():
+        for k, v in results.iteritems():
             if results[k]:
                 results[k] = v[0]
             else:
                 results[k] = ''
         return results
 
+    # backwards compatibility
+    get_xml_id = get_external_id
+    _get_xml_ids = _get_external_ids
+
     # Transience
     def is_transient(self):
         """ Return whether the model is transient.