diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 04da993..f9535c0 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -103,6 +103,19 @@ const Results = (props: ResultsProps) => {
     );
 };
 
+const convertSearchBoxShorthand = (input: string, conlang: Conlang): string => {
+    if (conlang === Conlang.Saimiar) {
+        return input
+            .replaceAll(/ee/g, "ê")
+            .replaceAll(/oo/g, "ô")
+            .replaceAll(/o'/g, "ø")
+            .replaceAll(/c'/g, "ç")
+            .replaceAll(/n'/g, "ŋ");
+    }
+
+    return input;
+};
+
 const App = (_props) => {
     const defaultConlang = window.sessionStorage.getItem("conlang") as Conlang || Conlang.Saimiar;
     const [searchResults, setSearchResults] = useState(null);
@@ -117,33 +130,17 @@ const App = (_props) => {
         window.sessionStorage.setItem("conlang", conlang);
     };
 
-    const searchConlang = (_evt) => {
-        const searchTerm = searchBoxInput;
-        if (searchTerm === "") {
-            setSearchResults(null);
-            setSearchTerm(null);
-            setDirection(null);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        searchEntry(searchTerm, conlang, SearchDirection.ToEnglish, (json) => {
-            setSearchResults(json);
-            setSearchTerm(searchTerm);
-            setDirection(SearchDirection.ToEnglish);
-        });
-    };
-
-    const searchEng = (_evt) => {
-        const searchTerm = searchBoxInput;
+    const handleSearch = (direction: SearchDirection) => {
+        const searchTerm = convertSearchBoxShorthand(searchBoxInput, conlang);
         if (searchTerm === "") {
             setSearchResults(null);
             setSearchTerm(null);
             setDirection(null);
         } else {
-            searchEntry(searchTerm, conlang, SearchDirection.ToConlang, (json) => {
+            searchEntry(searchTerm, conlang, direction, (json) => {
                 setSearchResults(json);
                 setSearchTerm(searchTerm);
-                setDirection(SearchDirection.ToConlang);
+                setDirection(direction);
             });
         }
     };
@@ -181,8 +178,8 @@ const App = (_props) => {
                     </div>
                     <br/>
                     { langSelectDropdown }
-                    <button onClick={ searchConlang } className="searchButton">{renderConlang(conlang)}</button>
-                    <button onClick={ searchEng } className="searchButton">English</button>
+                    <button onClick={ () => handleSearch(SearchDirection.ToEnglish) } className="searchButton">{renderConlang(conlang)}</button>
+                    <button onClick={ () => handleSearch(SearchDirection.ToConlang) } className="searchButton">English</button>
                     <button onClick={ showPasswordBox } className="searchButton">Password</button>
                 </div>
                 <Results