Patent US 6,148,286

A method and apparatus which allows a user with minimal understanding of the orthography of a language to nevertheless use its orthography as the basis for performing a database search. Orthographic information is displayed. When a user indicates a possible selection of this information by, for example, placing a mouse cursor over the displayed information the selection is pronounced. When the user selects this information by, for example, clicking a mouse button, the input data associated with the information may be used for a database search, and the results presented to back the user aurally. According to another aspect of the invention, the results may also be presented orthographically. According to another aspect of the invention, the results may also be presented pictorially. According to another aspect of the invention, when the user indicates a possible selection of an orthographically presented result by, for example, placing a mouse cursor over ie result, the result is pronounced. According to another aspect of the invention, when the user indicates a selection of a result by, for example, clicking a mouse button, more information about the result may presented orthographically, pictorially, via animation, or by a combination of the three.