From a text entry tool, a digital data processing device receives inherently ambiguous user input. Independent of any other user input, the device interprets the received user input against a vocabulary to yield candidates such as words (of which the user input forms the entire word or part such as a root, stem, syllable, affix), or phrases having the user input as one word. The device displays the candidates and applies speech recognition to spoken user input. If the recognized speech comprises one of the candidates, that candidate is selected. If the recognized speech forms an extension of a candidate, the extended candidate is selected. If the recognized speech comprises other input, various other actions are taken.