Strings entered into a computer system are converted to a common language. The process of converting strings to a common language comprises determining a user-selected target language, associating a user-selected primary input language with the target language and associating a user-selected secondary input language with the target language. The process further comprises obtaining a string of at least one character, converting the obtained string from the primary input language to the target language if the obtained string corresponds to a valid string in the primary input language and converting the obtained string from the secondary input language to the target language if the obtained string corresponds to a valid string in the secondary input language and is not a valid string in the primary input language.