(defvar termcap-entry-begin-regexp "^[^\t\n]"
  "*Regexp matching the beginning of a termcap entry.")

(defvar termcap-entry-end-regexp ":$"
  "*Regexp matching the end of a termcap entry.")

;(makunbound 'termcap-split-entries-regexp-alist)
(defvar termcap-split-entries-regexp-alist
  '((":\\([^:\n]*\\):\\([^:\n]*\\):" . ":\\1:\\\\\n\t:\\2:")))

(defun termcap-split-entries (&optional beg end)
  (interactive "r")
  (save-excursion
    (unless beg
      (setq beg (re-search-backward termcap-entry-beg-regexp nil t)))

    (unless end
      (setq end (re-search-forward termcap-entry-end-regexp nil t)))

    (save-restriction
      (widen)
      (narrow-to-region beg end)

      (mapc (lambda (fromto)
              (goto-char (point-min))
              (while (re-search-forward (car fromto) nil t)
                (replace-match (cdr fromto) t)
                (goto-char (match-beginning 0))))
        termcap-split-entries-regexp-alist))))