Multi-modal messaging

A method for authoring message templates for use with a messaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a category that is associated with one or more related template messages;
• defining a keyword for each template message associated with the category, wherein each keyword is a unique identifier for the associated template message;
• specifying one or more properties associated with the category, said one or more properties including an identification property that is used for logically associating the category with a same category in a different language.

A multi-modal messaging system, comprising:

• a multi-modal user interface for receiving user input, said user input comprising speech input;
• an automatic speech recognition system for recognizing the speech input;
• a messaging application for composing a message responsive to the user input using one or more message templates.