diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb
index 177d156..eaa1f08 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb
@@ -68,7 +68,12 @@ module ActiveRecord
       # accessors, mutators and query methods.
       def define_attribute_methods
         return if generated_methods?
+        column_attribute_map = read_inheritable_attribute(:column_attribute_map)
         columns_hash.each do |name, column|
+          if column_attribute_map
+            name = column_attribute_map[name] || name
+          end
+          
           unless instance_method_already_implemented?(name)
             if self.serialized_attributes[name]
               define_read_method_for_serialized_attribute(name)
@@ -125,6 +130,18 @@ module ActiveRecord
       def cache_attribute?(attr_name)
         cached_attributes.include?(attr_name)
       end
+      
+      # Set the attribute names ActiveRecord will use for certain columns. Useful
+      # for legacy schemas with column names that would normaly override
+      # ActiveRecord::Base instance methods, such as 'delete' and 'increment'.
+      #
+      #   class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
+      #     set_column_attribute_map :delete_all => 'del_all', :callback => 'call_back'
+      #   end
+      def set_column_attribute_map(attributes)
+        write_inheritable_attribute(:column_attribute_map, attributes.with_indifferent_access)
+      end
+      alias :column_attribute_map= :set_column_attribute_map
 
       private
         # Suffixes a, ?, c become regexp /(a|\?|c)$/
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/attribute_methods_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/attribute_methods_test.rb
index 77ee8d8..fc1d829 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/attribute_methods_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/attribute_methods_test.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require "cases/helper"
 require 'models/topic'
 require 'models/minimalistic'
+require 'models/voicemail'
 
 class AttributeMethodsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
   fixtures :topics
@@ -264,6 +265,18 @@ class AttributeMethodsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     assert_raise(ActiveRecord::UnknownAttributeError) { topic = @target.new(:title => "Rants about pants") }
     assert_raise(ActiveRecord::UnknownAttributeError) { @target.new.attributes = { :title => "Ants in pants" } }
   end
+  
+  def test_set_column_attribute_map
+    voicemail = Voicemail.new
+    assert voicemail.respond_to?(:call_back)
+    assert voicemail.respond_to?(:call_back=)
+    assert voicemail.respond_to?(:call_back?)
+    
+    voicemail = Voicemail.new(:call_back => 'something')
+    assert voicemail.save
+    
+    assert_equal 'something', voicemail.call_back
+  end
 
   private
   def time_related_columns_on_topic 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/models/voicemail.rb b/activerecord/test/models/voicemail.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..356c2cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/activerecord/test/models/voicemail.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+class Voicemail < ActiveRecord::Base
+  set_column_attribute_map :callback => 'call_back'
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/activerecord/test/schema/schema.rb b/activerecord/test/schema/schema.rb
index 8199cb8..0daf6ae 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/schema/schema.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/schema/schema.rb
@@ -413,7 +413,11 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define do
   create_table :vertices, :force => true do |t|
     t.column :label, :string
   end
-
+  
+  create_table :voicemails, :force => true do |t|
+    t.column :callback, :string
+  end
+  
   create_table 'warehouse-things', :force => true do |t|
     t.integer :value
   end
@@ -444,4 +448,4 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define do
 
     execute "ALTER TABLE fk_test_has_fk ADD CONSTRAINT fk_name FOREIGN KEY (#{quote_column_name 'fk_id'}) REFERENCES #{quote_table_name 'fk_test_has_pk'} (#{quote_column_name 'id'})"
   end
-end
+end
\ No newline at end of file