diff --git a/base/array.jl b/base/array.jl
index 35ffa760642ce..d62dec5889920 100644
--- a/base/array.jl
+++ b/base/array.jl
@@ -1235,7 +1235,7 @@ function transpose!(B::StridedMatrix,A::StridedMatrix)
         @inbounds begin
             for j = 1:n
                 for i = 1:m
-                    B[j,i] = A[i,j]
+                    B[j,i] = transpose(A[i,j])
                 end
             end
         end
@@ -1249,7 +1249,7 @@ function transposeblock!(B::StridedMatrix,A::StridedMatrix,m::Int,n::Int,offseti
         @inbounds begin
             for j = offsetj+(1:n)
                 for i = offseti+(1:m)
-                    B[j,i] = A[i,j]
+                    B[j,i] = transpose(A[i,j])
                 end
             end
         end
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ function ctranspose!(B::StridedMatrix,A::StridedMatrix)
         @inbounds begin
             for j = 1:n
                 for i = 1:m
-                    B[j,i] = conj(A[i,j])
+                    B[j,i] = ctranspose(A[i,j])
                 end
             end
         end
@@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ function ctransposeblock!(B::StridedMatrix,A::StridedMatrix,m::Int,n::Int,offset
         @inbounds begin
             for j = offsetj+(1:n)
                 for i = offseti+(1:m)
-                    B[j,i] = conj(A[i,j])
+                    B[j,i] = ctranspose(A[i,j])
                 end
             end
         end
@@ -1312,8 +1312,8 @@ function ctranspose(A::StridedMatrix)
 end
 ctranspose{T<:Real}(A::StridedVecOrMat{T}) = transpose(A)
 
-transpose(x::StridedVector) = [ x[j] for i=1, j=1:size(x,1) ]
-ctranspose{T}(x::StridedVector{T}) = T[ conj(x[j]) for i=1, j=1:size(x,1) ]
+transpose(x::StridedVector) = [ transpose(x[j]) for i=1, j=1:size(x,1) ]
+ctranspose{T}(x::StridedVector{T}) = T[ ctranspose(x[j]) for i=1, j=1:size(x,1) ]
 
 # set-like operators for vectors
 # These are moderately efficient, preserve order, and remove dupes.
diff --git a/base/linalg/generic.jl b/base/linalg/generic.jl
index c164268fa87ce..a7574f7f0bc18 100644
--- a/base/linalg/generic.jl
+++ b/base/linalg/generic.jl
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ function issym(A::AbstractMatrix)
     m, n = size(A)
     m==n || return false
     for i = 1:(n-1), j = (i+1):n
-        if A[i,j] != A[j,i]
+        if A[i,j] != transpose(A[j,i])
             return false
         end
     end
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ function ishermitian(A::AbstractMatrix)
     m, n = size(A)
     m==n || return false
     for i = 1:n, j = i:n
-        if A[i,j] != conj(A[j,i])
+        if A[i,j] != ctranspose(A[j,i])
             return false
         end
     end
diff --git a/base/linalg/matmul.jl b/base/linalg/matmul.jl
index a8d18032112b1..59ed68e1952fb 100644
--- a/base/linalg/matmul.jl
+++ b/base/linalg/matmul.jl
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ function generic_matvecmul!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractVector{R}, tA, A::AbstractMatrix{T
             aoffs = (k-1)*Astride
             s = z
             for i = 1:nA
-                s += A[aoffs+i] * B[i]
+                s += A[aoffs+i].'B[i]
             end
             C[k] = s
         end
@@ -334,11 +334,11 @@ function generic_matvecmul!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractVector{R}, tA, A::AbstractMatrix{T
             aoffs = (k-1)*Astride
             s = z
             for i = 1:nA
-                s += conj(A[aoffs+i]) * B[i]
+                s += A[aoffs+i]'B[i]
             end
             C[k] = s
         end
-        else # tA == 'N'
+    else # tA == 'N'
         fill!(C, z)
         for k = 1:mB
             aoffs = (k-1)*Astride
@@ -438,17 +438,17 @@ function generic_matmatmul!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractVecOrMat{R}, tA, tB, A::AbstractVe
                 end
             elseif tB == 'T'
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = A[i, 1]*B[j, 1]
+                    Ctmp = A[i, 1]*B[j, 1].'
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += A[i, k]*B[j, k]
+                        Ctmp += A[i, k]*B[j, k].'
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
             else
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = A[i, 1]*conj(B[j, 1])
+                    Ctmp = A[i, 1]*B[j, 1]'
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += A[i, k]*conj(B[j, k])
+                        Ctmp += A[i, k]*B[j, k]'
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
@@ -456,25 +456,25 @@ function generic_matmatmul!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractVecOrMat{R}, tA, tB, A::AbstractVe
         elseif tA == 'T'
             if tB == 'N'
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = A[1, i]*B[1, j]
+                    Ctmp = A[1, i].'B[1, j]
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += A[k, i]*B[k, j]
+                        Ctmp += A[k, i].'B[k, j]
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
             elseif tB == 'T'
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = A[1, i]*B[j, 1]
+                    Ctmp = A[1, i].'B[j, 1].'
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += A[k, i]*B[j, k]
+                        Ctmp += A[k, i].'B[j, k].'
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
             else
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = A[1, i]*conj(B[j, 1])
+                    Ctmp = A[1, i].'B[j, 1]'
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += A[k, i]*conj(B[j, k])
+                        Ctmp += A[k, i].'B[j, k]'
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
@@ -482,25 +482,25 @@ function generic_matmatmul!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractVecOrMat{R}, tA, tB, A::AbstractVe
         else
             if tB == 'N'
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = conj(A[1, i])*B[1, j]
+                    Ctmp = A[1, i]'B[1, j]
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += conj(A[k, i])*B[k, j]
+                        Ctmp += A[k, i]'B[k, j]
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
             elseif tB == 'T'
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = conj(A[1, i])*B[j, 1]
+                    Ctmp = A[1, i]'B[j, 1].'
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += conj(A[k, i])*B[j, k]
+                        Ctmp += A[k, i]'B[j, k].'
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
             else
                 for i = 1:mA, j = 1:nB
-                    Ctmp = conj(A[1, i])*conj(B[j, 1])
+                    Ctmp = A[1, i]'B[j, 1]'
                     for k = 2:nA
-                        Ctmp += conj(A[k, i])*conj(B[j, k])
+                        Ctmp += A[k, i]'B[j, k]'
                     end
                     C[i,j] = Ctmp
                 end
@@ -519,16 +519,16 @@ end
 
 function matmul2x2!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractMatrix{R}, tA, tB, A::AbstractMatrix{T}, B::AbstractMatrix{S})
     if tA == 'T'
-        A11 = A[1,1]; A12 = A[2,1]; A21 = A[1,2]; A22 = A[2,2]
+        A11 = transpose(A[1,1]); A12 = transpose(A[2,1]); A21 = transpose(A[1,2]); A22 = transpose(A[2,2])
     elseif tA == 'C'
-        A11 = conj(A[1,1]); A12 = conj(A[2,1]); A21 = conj(A[1,2]); A22 = conj(A[2,2])
+        A11 = ctranspose(A[1,1]); A12 = ctranspose(A[2,1]); A21 = ctranspose(A[1,2]); A22 = ctranspose(A[2,2])
     else
         A11 = A[1,1]; A12 = A[1,2]; A21 = A[2,1]; A22 = A[2,2]
     end
     if tB == 'T'
-        B11 = B[1,1]; B12 = B[2,1]; B21 = B[1,2]; B22 = B[2,2]
+        B11 = transpose(B[1,1]); B12 = transpose(B[2,1]); B21 = transpose(B[1,2]); B22 = transpose(B[2,2])
     elseif tB == 'C'
-        B11 = conj(B[1,1]); B12 = conj(B[2,1]); B21 = conj(B[1,2]); B22 = conj(B[2,2])
+        B11 = ctranspose(B[1,1]); B12 = ctranspose(B[2,1]); B21 = ctranspose(B[1,2]); B22 = ctranspose(B[2,2])
     else
         B11 = B[1,1]; B12 = B[1,2]; B21 = B[2,1]; B22 = B[2,2]
     end
@@ -546,13 +546,13 @@ end
 
 function matmul3x3!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractMatrix{R}, tA, tB, A::AbstractMatrix{T}, B::AbstractMatrix{S})
     if tA == 'T'
-        A11 = A[1,1]; A12 = A[2,1]; A13 = A[3,1];
-        A21 = A[1,2]; A22 = A[2,2]; A23 = A[3,2];
-        A31 = A[1,3]; A32 = A[2,3]; A33 = A[3,3];
+        A11 = transpose(A[1,1]); A12 = transpose(A[2,1]); A13 = transpose(A[3,1]);
+        A21 = transpose(A[1,2]); A22 = transpose(A[2,2]); A23 = transpose(A[3,2]);
+        A31 = transpose(A[1,3]); A32 = transpose(A[2,3]); A33 = transpose(A[3,3]);
     elseif tA == 'C'
-        A11 = conj(A[1,1]); A12 = conj(A[2,1]); A13 = conj(A[3,1]);
-        A21 = conj(A[1,2]); A22 = conj(A[2,2]); A23 = conj(A[3,2]);
-        A31 = conj(A[1,3]); A32 = conj(A[2,3]); A33 = conj(A[3,3]);
+        A11 = ctranspose(A[1,1]); A12 = ctranspose(A[2,1]); A13 = ctranspose(A[3,1]);
+        A21 = ctranspose(A[1,2]); A22 = ctranspose(A[2,2]); A23 = ctranspose(A[3,2]);
+        A31 = ctranspose(A[1,3]); A32 = ctranspose(A[2,3]); A33 = ctranspose(A[3,3]);
     else
         A11 = A[1,1]; A12 = A[1,2]; A13 = A[1,3];
         A21 = A[2,1]; A22 = A[2,2]; A23 = A[2,3];
@@ -560,13 +560,13 @@ function matmul3x3!{T,S,R}(C::AbstractMatrix{R}, tA, tB, A::AbstractMatrix{T}, B
     end
 
     if tB == 'T'
-        B11 = B[1,1]; B12 = B[2,1]; B13 = B[3,1];
-        B21 = B[1,2]; B22 = B[2,2]; B23 = B[3,2];
-        B31 = B[1,3]; B32 = B[2,3]; B33 = B[3,3];
+        B11 = transpose(B[1,1]); B12 = transpose(B[2,1]); B13 = transpose(B[3,1]);
+        B21 = transpose(B[1,2]); B22 = transpose(B[2,2]); B23 = transpose(B[3,2]);
+        B31 = transpose(B[1,3]); B32 = transpose(B[2,3]); B33 = transpose(B[3,3]);
     elseif tB == 'C'
-        B11 = conj(B[1,1]); B12 = conj(B[2,1]); B13 = conj(B[3,1]);
-        B21 = conj(B[1,2]); B22 = conj(B[2,2]); B23 = conj(B[3,2]);
-        B31 = conj(B[1,3]); B32 = conj(B[2,3]); B33 = conj(B[3,3]);
+        B11 = ctranspose(B[1,1]); B12 = ctranspose(B[2,1]); B13 = ctranspose(B[3,1]);
+        B21 = ctranspose(B[1,2]); B22 = ctranspose(B[2,2]); B23 = ctranspose(B[3,2]);
+        B31 = ctranspose(B[1,3]); B32 = ctranspose(B[2,3]); B33 = ctranspose(B[3,3]);
     else
         B11 = B[1,1]; B12 = B[1,2]; B13 = B[1,3];
         B21 = B[2,1]; B22 = B[2,2]; B23 = B[2,3];
diff --git a/base/operators.jl b/base/operators.jl
index 5f822ede615e5..4952bba44420b 100644
--- a/base/operators.jl
+++ b/base/operators.jl
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ mod1{T<:Real}(x::T, y::T) = y-mod(y-x,y)
 rem1{T<:Real}(x::T, y::T) = rem(x-1,y)+1
 fld1{T<:Real}(x::T, y::T) = fld(x-1,y)+1
 
+# transpose
+transpose(x) = x
+ctranspose(x) = conj(transpose(x))
+conj(x) = x
+
 # transposed multiply
 Ac_mul_B (a,b) = ctranspose(a)*b
 A_mul_Bc (a,b) = a*ctranspose(b)