1. A method of processing search query submissions, comprising: receiving a multi-term search query submitted by a user to search a repository of items, said search query comprising a matching term and a non-matching term; and programmatically selecting an alternative term to use in place of the non-matching term, taking into consideration a degree to which the non-matching term and the alternative term are similar in spelling, and further taking into consideration at least one of (a) a frequency with which the matching term and the alternative term have occurred in combination within prior search query submissions of users, and (b) a frequency with which the matching term and the alternative term occur in combination within said repository of items.