24. A method for recognizing words in a character recognition system, comprising the steps of: training said system to recognize individual characters units and corresponding ligatures connecting said individual character units by entering handwritten representations of said individual character units and said corresponding ligatures into said system, and constructing a circularly formed hidden Markov model comprised of character Markov models interconnected with ligature Markov models in dependence upon said handwritten representations of said individual character units and said corresponding ligatures, said circularly formed hidden Markov model being constructed by connecting a first node of every one of said character Markov models to a global initial state and a last node of every one of said character Markov models to a global final state and connecting said last node of each one of said character Markov models to a first node of every one of said ligature Markov models and a last node of each one of said ligature Markov models to said first node of every one of said character Markov models; inputting a sequence of coordinates of actual strokes representative of a word to be recognized, said word comprised of selected ones of said individual character units and said corresponding ligatures; fitting imaginary strokes between said actual strokes to generate a merged stroke comprised of said actual strokes and said imaginary strokes; normalizing distances between adjacent points of said merged stroke to generate a normalized stroke; converting directional angles of vectors connecting adjacent points of said normalized stroke into a plurality of chain codes; and locating an optimal path in said circularly formed hidden Markov model and outputting said word represented by said actual strokes.
25. The method for recognizing words as claimed in claim 24, further comprised of said actual strokes representative of said word to be recognized being entered on a variable visual display by a user via an electrical pen capable of altering said variable visual display.