In test_operator we find the following lines:

        class C(object):
            def __getattr(self, name):
                raise SyntaxError
        self.failUnlessRaises(AttributeError,
operator.attrgetter('foo'), C())

Obviously "__getattr" has no effect. However, when changing it to
"__getattr__", the test fails. Is there is any motivation for this test
in the first place? If yes, why the typo and why the error when the typo
is corrected?

As seen from the __eq__ example, the exception should be SyntaxError.
With both changes, it works fine again in r60142.

As for why the test is there, maybe the operator functions had lax error
checking once.