diff -u b/includes/file.inc b/includes/file.inc
--- b/includes/file.inc
+++ b/includes/file.inc
@@ -941,12 +941,12 @@
   // Assert that the source file actually exists.
   if (!file_exists($source)) {
     // @todo Replace drupal_set_message() calls with exceptions instead.
-    drupal_set_message(t('The specified file %file could not be moved/copied, because no file by that name exists. Please check that you supplied the correct filename.', array('%file' => $original_source)), 'error');
+    drupal_set_message(t('The specified file %file could not be copied, because no file by that name exists. Please check that you supplied the correct filename.', array('%file' => $original_source)), 'error');
     if (($realpath = drupal_realpath($original_source)) !== FALSE) {
-      watchdog('file', 'File %file (%realpath) could not be moved/copied because it does not exist.', array('%file' => $original_source, '%realpath' => $realpath));
+      watchdog('file', 'File %file (%realpath) could not be copied because it does not exist.', array('%file' => $original_source, '%realpath' => $realpath));
     }
     else {
-      watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be moved/copied because it does not exist.', array('%file' => $original_source));
+      watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be copied because it does not exist.', array('%file' => $original_source));
     }
     return FALSE;
   }
@@ -966,8 +966,8 @@
     $dirname = drupal_dirname($destination);
     if (!file_prepare_directory($dirname)) {
       // The destination is not valid.
-      watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be moved/copied, because the destination directory %destination is not configured correctly.', array('%file' => $original_source, '%destination' => $dirname));
-      drupal_set_message(t('The specified file %file could not be moved/copied, because the destination directory is not properly configured. This may be caused by a problem with file or directory permissions. More information is available in the system log.', array('%file' => $original_source)), 'error');
+      watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be copied, because the destination directory %destination is not configured correctly.', array('%file' => $original_source, '%destination' => $dirname));
+      drupal_set_message(t('The specified file %file could not be copied, because the destination directory is not properly configured. This may be caused by a problem with file or directory permissions. More information is available in the system log.', array('%file' => $original_source)), 'error');
       return FALSE;
     }
   }
@@ -975,8 +975,8 @@
   // Determine whether we can perform this operation based on overwrite rules.
   $destination = file_destination($destination, $replace);
   if ($destination === FALSE) {
-    drupal_set_message(t('The file %file could not be moved/copied because a file by that name already exists in the destination directory.', array('%file' => $original_source)), 'error');
-    watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be moved/copied because a file by that name already exists in the destination directory (%directory)', array('%file' => $original_source, '%directory' => $destination));
+    drupal_set_message(t('The file %file could not be copied because a file by that name already exists in the destination directory.', array('%file' => $original_source)), 'error');
+    watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be copied because a file by that name already exists in the destination directory (%directory)', array('%file' => $original_source, '%directory' => $destination));
     return FALSE;
   }
 
@@ -984,8 +984,8 @@
   $real_source = drupal_realpath($source);
   $real_destination = drupal_realpath($destination);
   if ($source == $destination || ($real_source !== FALSE) && ($real_source == $real_destination)) {
-    drupal_set_message(t('The specified file %file was not moved/copied because it would overwrite itself.', array('%file' => $source)), 'error');
-    watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be moved/copied because it would overwrite itself.', array('%file' => $source));
+    drupal_set_message(t('The specified file %file was not copied because it would overwrite itself.', array('%file' => $source)), 'error');
+    watchdog('file', 'File %file could not be copied because it would overwrite itself.', array('%file' => $source));
     return FALSE;
   }
   // Make sure the .htaccess files are present.