diff --git a/pkg/i18n/i18n.go b/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
index a2a18ed8..04f6163f 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ func L(word string) string {
 // Use this for direct key lookups without auto-composition.
 //
 //	i18n._("cli.success")           // Raw lookup
-//	i18n.T("core.label.status")     // Smart: returns "Status:"
+//	i18n.T("i18n.label.status")     // Smart: returns "Status:"
 func _(messageID string, args ...any) string {
 	if svc := Default(); svc != nil {
 		return svc.Raw(messageID, args...)
@@ -626,25 +626,25 @@ func (s *Service) PluralCategory(n int) PluralCategory {
 //
 // The core.* namespace provides auto-composed grammar shortcuts:
 //
-//	T("core.label.status")              // → "Status:"
-//	T("core.progress.build")            // → "Building..."
-//	T("core.progress.check", "config")  // → "Checking config..."
-//	T("core.count.file", 5)             // → "5 files"
-//	T("core.done.delete", "file")       // → "File deleted"
-//	T("core.fail.delete", "file")       // → "Failed to delete file"
+//	T("i18n.label.status")              // → "Status:"
+//	T("i18n.progress.build")            // → "Building..."
+//	T("i18n.progress.check", "config")  // → "Checking config..."
+//	T("i18n.count.file", 5)             // → "5 files"
+//	T("i18n.done.delete", "file")       // → "File deleted"
+//	T("i18n.fail.delete", "file")       // → "Failed to delete file"
 //
 // For semantic intents, pass a Subject:
 //
 //	T("core.delete", S("file", "config.yaml")) // → "Delete config.yaml?"
 //
-// Use _() for raw key lookup without core.* magic.
+// Use _() for raw key lookup without i18n.* magic.
 func (s *Service) T(messageID string, args ...any) string {
 	s.mu.RLock()
 	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
 
-	// Handle core.* namespace magic
-	if strings.HasPrefix(messageID, "core.") {
-		if result := s.handleCoreNamespace(messageID, args); result != "" {
+	// Handle i18n.* namespace magic
+	if strings.HasPrefix(messageID, "i18n.") {
+		if result := s.handleI18nNamespace(messageID, args); result != "" {
 			if s.debug {
 				return debugFormat(messageID, result)
 			}
@@ -672,19 +672,19 @@ func (s *Service) T(messageID string, args ...any) string {
 	return text
 }
 
-// handleCoreNamespace processes core.* namespace patterns.
+// handleI18nNamespace processes i18n.* namespace patterns.
 // Returns empty string if pattern not recognized.
 // Must be called with s.mu.RLock held.
-func (s *Service) handleCoreNamespace(key string, args []any) string {
-	// core.label.{word} → Label(word)
-	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "core.label.") {
-		word := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "core.label.")
+func (s *Service) handleI18nNamespace(key string, args []any) string {
+	// i18n.label.{word} → Label(word)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "i18n.label.") {
+		word := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "i18n.label.")
 		return Label(word)
 	}
 
-	// core.progress.{verb} → Progress(verb) or ProgressSubject(verb, subj)
-	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "core.progress.") {
-		verb := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "core.progress.")
+	// i18n.progress.{verb} → Progress(verb) or ProgressSubject(verb, subj)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "i18n.progress.") {
+		verb := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "i18n.progress.")
 		if len(args) > 0 {
 			if subj, ok := args[0].(string); ok {
 				return ProgressSubject(verb, subj)
@@ -693,9 +693,9 @@ func (s *Service) handleCoreNamespace(key string, args []any) string {
 		return Progress(verb)
 	}
 
-	// core.count.{noun} → "N noun(s)"
-	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "core.count.") {
-		noun := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "core.count.")
+	// i18n.count.{noun} → "N noun(s)"
+	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "i18n.count.") {
+		noun := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "i18n.count.")
 		if len(args) > 0 {
 			count := toInt(args[0])
 			return fmt.Sprintf("%d %s", count, Pluralize(noun, count))
@@ -703,9 +703,9 @@ func (s *Service) handleCoreNamespace(key string, args []any) string {
 		return noun
 	}
 
-	// core.done.{verb} → ActionResult(verb, subj)
-	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "core.done.") {
-		verb := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "core.done.")
+	// i18n.done.{verb} → ActionResult(verb, subj)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "i18n.done.") {
+		verb := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "i18n.done.")
 		if len(args) > 0 {
 			if subj, ok := args[0].(string); ok {
 				return ActionResult(verb, subj)
@@ -714,9 +714,9 @@ func (s *Service) handleCoreNamespace(key string, args []any) string {
 		return Title(PastTense(verb))
 	}
 
-	// core.fail.{verb} → ActionFailed(verb, subj)
-	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "core.fail.") {
-		verb := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "core.fail.")
+	// i18n.fail.{verb} → ActionFailed(verb, subj)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(key, "i18n.fail.") {
+		verb := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "i18n.fail.")
 		if len(args) > 0 {
 			if subj, ok := args[0].(string); ok {
 				return ActionFailed(verb, subj)
@@ -725,16 +725,6 @@ func (s *Service) handleCoreNamespace(key string, args []any) string {
 		return ActionFailed(verb, "")
 	}
 
-	// core.{intent} with Subject → C(intent, subject).Question
-	if len(args) > 0 {
-		if subject, ok := args[0].(*Subject); ok {
-			s.mu.RUnlock()
-			result := s.C(key, subject)
-			s.mu.RLock()
-			return result.Question
-		}
-	}
-
 	return ""
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go b/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go
index 772e7018..a16dea6d 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go
@@ -140,16 +140,16 @@ func TestPluralization(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	SetDefault(svc)
 
-	// Singular - uses core.count.* magic
-	result := svc.T("core.count.item", 1)
+	// Singular - uses i18n.count.* magic
+	result := svc.T("i18n.count.item", 1)
 	assert.Equal(t, "1 item", result)
 
 	// Plural
-	result = svc.T("core.count.item", 5)
+	result = svc.T("i18n.count.item", 5)
 	assert.Equal(t, "5 items", result)
 
 	// Zero uses plural
-	result = svc.T("core.count.item", 0)
+	result = svc.T("i18n.count.item", 0)
 	assert.Equal(t, "0 items", result)
 }
 
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ func TestDebugMode(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TestCoreNamespaceMagic(t *testing.T) {
+func TestI18nNamespaceMagic(t *testing.T) {
 	svc, err := New()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	SetDefault(svc)
@@ -331,16 +331,16 @@ func TestCoreNamespaceMagic(t *testing.T) {
 		args     []any
 		expected string
 	}{
-		{"label", "core.label.status", nil, "Status:"},
-		{"label version", "core.label.version", nil, "Version:"},
-		{"progress", "core.progress.build", nil, "Building..."},
-		{"progress check", "core.progress.check", nil, "Checking..."},
-		{"progress with subject", "core.progress.check", []any{"config"}, "Checking config..."},
-		{"count singular", "core.count.file", []any{1}, "1 file"},
-		{"count plural", "core.count.file", []any{5}, "5 files"},
-		{"done", "core.done.delete", []any{"file"}, "File deleted"},
-		{"done build", "core.done.build", []any{"project"}, "Project built"},
-		{"fail", "core.fail.delete", []any{"file"}, "Failed to delete file"},
+		{"label", "i18n.label.status", nil, "Status:"},
+		{"label version", "i18n.label.version", nil, "Version:"},
+		{"progress", "i18n.progress.build", nil, "Building..."},
+		{"progress check", "i18n.progress.check", nil, "Checking..."},
+		{"progress with subject", "i18n.progress.check", []any{"config"}, "Checking config..."},
+		{"count singular", "i18n.count.file", []any{1}, "1 file"},
+		{"count plural", "i18n.count.file", []any{5}, "5 files"},
+		{"done", "i18n.done.delete", []any{"file"}, "File deleted"},
+		{"done build", "i18n.done.build", []any{"project"}, "Project built"},
+		{"fail", "i18n.fail.delete", []any{"file"}, "Failed to delete file"},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -351,15 +351,15 @@ func TestCoreNamespaceMagic(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestRawBypassesCoreNamespace(t *testing.T) {
+func TestRawBypassesI18nNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 	svc, err := New()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// Raw() should return key as-is since core.label.status isn't in JSON
-	result := svc.Raw("core.label.status")
-	assert.Equal(t, "core.label.status", result)
+	// Raw() should return key as-is since i18n.label.status isn't in JSON
+	result := svc.Raw("i18n.label.status")
+	assert.Equal(t, "i18n.label.status", result)
 
 	// T() should compose it
-	result = svc.T("core.label.status")
+	result = svc.T("i18n.label.status")
 	assert.Equal(t, "Status:", result)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/intents_test.go b/pkg/i18n/intents_test.go
index 2e6d8da0..389d8624 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/intents_test.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/intents_test.go
@@ -265,12 +265,12 @@ func TestIntentT_Integration(t *testing.T) {
 	svc, err := New()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// Using T with core.* prefix and Subject should return Question form
-	result := svc.T("core.delete", S("file", "config.yaml"))
-	assert.Equal(t, "Delete config.yaml?", result)
+	// Using C with intent key and Subject
+	composed := svc.C("core.delete", S("file", "config.yaml"))
+	assert.Equal(t, "Delete config.yaml?", composed.Question)
 
 	// Using T with regular key should work normally
-	result = svc.T("cmd.dev.short")
+	result := svc.T("cmd.dev.short")
 	assert.Equal(t, "Multi-repo development workflow", result)
 }