A first recognizing unit recognizes a first-language speech as a first-language character string, and outputs a first recognition result. A second recognizing unit recognizes the first-language speech as a most probable first-language example from among first-language examples stored in an example storing unit, and outputs a second recognition result. A retrieving unit retrieves, when a similarity between the first recognition result and the second recognition result exceeds a predetermined threshold, a second-language example corresponding to the second recognition result from the example storing unit.