diff --git a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C
index d87633f4db..144bec118a 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C
@@ -276,75 +276,10 @@ void substitute(dictionary& dict, string substitutions)
     }
 
     word funcName;
-    int argLevel = 0;
+    wordReList args;
     List<Tuple2<word, string>> namedArgs;
-    bool namedArg = false;
-    word argName;
 
-    word::size_type start = 0;
-    word::size_type i = 0;
-
-    for
-    (
-        word::const_iterator iter = substitutions.begin();
-        iter != substitutions.end();
-        ++iter
-    )
-    {
-        char c = *iter;
-
-        if (c == '(')
-        {
-            if (argLevel == 0)
-            {
-                funcName = substitutions(start, i - start);
-                start = i+1;
-            }
-            ++argLevel;
-        }
-        else if (c == ',' || c == ')')
-        {
-            if (argLevel == 1)
-            {
-                if (namedArg)
-                {
-                    namedArgs.append
-                    (
-                        Tuple2<word, string>
-                        (
-                            argName,
-                            substitutions(start, i - start)
-                        )
-                    );
-                    namedArg = false;
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    FatalIOErrorInFunction(dict)
-                        << "Unnamed substitution" << exit(FatalIOError);
-                }
-                start = i+1;
-            }
-
-            if (c == ')')
-            {
-                if (argLevel == 1)
-                {
-                    break;
-                }
-                --argLevel;
-            }
-        }
-        else if (c == '=')
-        {
-            argName = substitutions(start, i - start);
-            string::stripInvalid<variable>(argName);
-            start = i+1;
-            namedArg = true;
-        }
-
-        ++i;
-    }
+    dictArgList(substitutions, funcName, args, namedArgs);
 
     forAll(namedArgs, i)
     {
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C
index 25903098f7..a8694c7fa2 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.C
@@ -1556,6 +1556,89 @@ Foam::dictionary Foam::operator|
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+void Foam::dictArgList
+(
+    const string& funcArgs,
+    word& funcName,
+    wordReList& args,
+    List<Tuple2<word, string>>& namedArgs
+)
+{
+    funcName = funcArgs;
+
+    int argLevel = 0;
+    bool namedArg = false;
+    word argName;
+
+    word::size_type start = 0;
+    word::size_type i = 0;
+
+    for
+    (
+        word::const_iterator iter = funcArgs.begin();
+        iter != funcArgs.end();
+        ++iter
+    )
+    {
+        char c = *iter;
+
+        if (c == '(')
+        {
+            if (argLevel == 0)
+            {
+                funcName = funcArgs(start, i - start);
+                start = i+1;
+            }
+            ++argLevel;
+        }
+        else if (c == ',' || c == ')')
+        {
+            if (argLevel == 1)
+            {
+                if (namedArg)
+                {
+                    namedArgs.append
+                    (
+                        Tuple2<word, string>
+                        (
+                            argName,
+                            funcArgs(start, i - start)
+                        )
+                    );
+                    namedArg = false;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    args.append(wordRe(funcArgs(start, i - start)));
+                }
+                start = i+1;
+            }
+
+            if (c == ')')
+            {
+                if (argLevel == 1)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+                --argLevel;
+            }
+        }
+        else if (c == '=')
+        {
+            argName = funcArgs(start, i - start);
+            string::stripInvalid<variable>(argName);
+            start = i+1;
+            namedArg = true;
+        }
+
+        ++i;
+    }
+
+    // Strip whitespace from the function name
+    string::stripInvalid<word>(funcName);
+}
+
+
 Foam::Pair<Foam::word> Foam::dictAndKeyword(const word& scopedName)
 {
     string::size_type i = scopedName.find_last_of
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.H
index b968f0cfb5..18e93b7b5e 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/dictionary.H
@@ -53,12 +53,11 @@ SourceFiles
 #include "entry.H"
 #include "IDLList.H"
 #include "DLList.H"
-#include "fileName.H"
-#include "ITstream.H"
 #include "HashTable.H"
-#include "wordList.H"
-#include "className.H"
+#include "ITstream.H"
+#include "wordReList.H"
 #include "Pair.H"
+#include "className.H"
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
@@ -634,6 +633,15 @@ dictionary operator|(const dictionary& dict1, const dictionary& dict2);
 
 // Global Functions
 
+//- Parse dictionary substitution argument list
+void dictArgList
+(
+    const string& funcArgs,
+    word& funcName,
+    wordReList& args,
+    List<Tuple2<word, string>>& namedArgs
+);
+
 //- Extracts dict name and keyword
 Pair<word> dictAndKeyword(const word& scopedName);
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
index 1403a588ac..bd15bd87c3 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
@@ -24,15 +24,11 @@ License
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 #include "functionObjectList.H"
-#include "Time.H"
-#include "mapPolyMesh.H"
 #include "argList.H"
 #include "timeControlFunctionObject.H"
 #include "dictionaryEntry.H"
 #include "stringOps.H"
-#include "Tuple2.H"
 #include "etcFiles.H"
-#include "IOdictionary.H"
 #include "wordAndDictionary.H"
 
 
@@ -221,88 +217,18 @@ void Foam::functionObjectList::checkUnsetEntries
 
 bool Foam::functionObjectList::readFunctionObject
 (
-    const string& funcCall,
+    const string& funcArgs,
     dictionary& functionsDict,
     const string& context,
     HashSet<word>& requiredFields,
     const word& region
 )
 {
-    word funcName(funcCall);
-
-    int argLevel = 0;
+    word funcName;
     wordReList args;
-
     List<Tuple2<word, string>> namedArgs;
-    bool namedArg = false;
-    word argName;
 
-    word::size_type start = 0;
-    word::size_type i = 0;
-
-    for
-    (
-        word::const_iterator iter = funcCall.begin();
-        iter != funcCall.end();
-        ++iter
-    )
-    {
-        char c = *iter;
-
-        if (c == '(')
-        {
-            if (argLevel == 0)
-            {
-                funcName = funcCall(start, i - start);
-                start = i+1;
-            }
-            ++argLevel;
-        }
-        else if (c == ',' || c == ')')
-        {
-            if (argLevel == 1)
-            {
-                if (namedArg)
-                {
-                    namedArgs.append
-                    (
-                        Tuple2<word, string>
-                        (
-                            argName,
-                            funcCall(start, i - start)
-                        )
-                    );
-                    namedArg = false;
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    args.append(wordRe(funcCall(start, i - start)));
-                }
-                start = i+1;
-            }
-
-            if (c == ')')
-            {
-                if (argLevel == 1)
-                {
-                    break;
-                }
-                --argLevel;
-            }
-        }
-        else if (c == '=')
-        {
-            argName = funcCall(start, i - start);
-            string::stripInvalid<variable>(argName);
-            start = i+1;
-            namedArg = true;
-        }
-
-        ++i;
-    }
-
-    // Strip whitespace from the function name
-    string::stripInvalid<word>(funcName);
+    dictArgList(funcArgs, funcName, args, namedArgs);
 
     // Search for the functionObject dictionary
     fileName path = findDict(funcName, region);
@@ -398,9 +324,9 @@ bool Foam::functionObjectList::readFunctionObject
         funcDict.set("region", region);
     }
 
-    const word funcCallKeyword = string::validate<word>(funcCall);
+    const word funcArgsKeyword = string::validate<word>(funcArgs);
     dictionary funcArgsDict;
-    funcArgsDict.add(funcCallKeyword, funcDict);
+    funcArgsDict.add(funcArgsKeyword, funcDict);
 
     // Re-parse the funcDict to execute the functionEntries
     // now that the function argument entries have been added
@@ -416,16 +342,16 @@ bool Foam::functionObjectList::readFunctionObject
     }
 
     // Check for anything in the configuration that has not been set
-    checkUnsetEntries(funcCall, funcArgsDict, funcDict0, context);
+    checkUnsetEntries(funcArgs, funcArgsDict, funcDict0, context);
 
     // Lookup the field, fields and objects entries from the now expanded
     // funcDict and insert into the requiredFields
-    dictionary& expandedFuncDict = funcArgsDict.subDict(funcCallKeyword);
+    dictionary& expandedFuncDict = funcArgsDict.subDict(funcArgsKeyword);
     if (functionObject::debug)
     {
         InfoInFunction
             << nl << incrIndent << indent
-            << funcCall << expandedFuncDict
+            << funcArgs << expandedFuncDict
             << decrIndent << endl;
     }
     if (expandedFuncDict.found("field"))
@@ -451,7 +377,7 @@ bool Foam::functionObjectList::readFunctionObject
 
     // Merge this functionObject dictionary into functionsDict
     functionsDict.merge(funcArgsDict);
-    functionsDict.subDict(funcCallKeyword).name() = funcDict.name();
+    functionsDict.subDict(funcArgsKeyword).name() = funcDict.name();
 
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.H
index 2386da1b66..bed96380c8 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.H
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ public:
         );
 
         //- Read the specified functionObject configuration dictionary
-        //  parsing the optional arguments included in the string 'funcCall',
+        //  parsing the optional arguments included in the string 'funcArgs',
         //  inserting 'field' or 'fields' entries as required and merging the
         //  resulting functionObject dictionary into 'functionsDict'.
         //  Any fields required to execute the functionObject are added to
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ public:
         //          fields (p U);
         static bool readFunctionObject
         (
-            const string& funcCall,
+            const string& funcArgs,
             dictionary& functionsDict,
             const string& context,
             HashSet<word>& requiredFields,