Embodiments can include means for categorizing lexical data, means for accurately describing the structure hierarchical data, means for accommodating lexicons having disparate data structures, means for pooling data from separate lexicons into aggregate lists, means for gathering data from participating users, and specified interfaces for handwriting recognition, optical character recognition, and text-to-speech and speech-to-text conversion. Embodiments can provide significant enhancements in data description, data connectivity and access, data presentation, data enhancement, and input functionality. The input means may be coupled with an electronic implementation of the character lookup invention by the same inventor to facilitate the lookup of individual characters. An exemplary embodiment can comprise a linguistic services center that interfaces with various natural language processing modules such that users of one module can take advantage of the wealth of linguistic information provided in the system. The resulting system may greatly minimize the frustration and inconvenience users typically experience when using Japanese, Chinese, or Korean in electronic contexts. A revenue sharing and data security system is disclosed for encouraging competitors to make their data available to the system in a way that lexical data providers, the OS provider, the LSC provider, and the user may all mutually benefit.