A method of language recognition wherein decoding ambiguities are identified and at least partially resolved intermediate to the language decoding procedures to reduce the subsequent number of final decoding alternatives. The user is questioned about identified decoding ambiguities as they are being decoded. There are two language decoding levels: fast match and detailed match. During the fast match decoding level a large potential candidate list is generated, very quickly. Then, during the more comprehensive (and slower) detailed match decoding level, the fast match candidate list is applied to the ambiguity to reduce the potential selections for final recognition. During the detailed match decoding level a unique candidate is selected for decoding. Decoding may be interactive and, as each ambiguity is encountered, recognition suspended to present questions to the user that will discriminate between potential response classes. Thus, recognition performance and accuracy is improved by interrupting recognition, intermediate to the decoding process, and allowing the user to select appropriate response classes to narrow the number of final decoding alternatives.