Abstract: A system and method enabling use of a COBOL compatible structured query language (CCSQL) to manipulate data stored in a COBOL data file, which is in a nonfirst normal, hierarchical format. Initially, a dictionary generator subsystem creates a corresponding dictionary for each COBOL data file. In the dictionary, the NF.sup.2 hierarchical logical relationship between the items and attributes (hierarchical nature) of each item of a COBOL data file are defined. Thereafter, whenever a new COBOL data file is produced, a corresponding dictionary is generated. When a user enters a request in the CCSQL format to query a COBOL data file, the request is parsed. The definitions in the dictionary are used by the CCSQL kernel to manipulate the data in response to the user's query. A command interpreter processes the request to determine the appropriate data manipulation to apply and initiates a CCSQL kernel request that carries out the intended action, with reference to the corresponding dictionary.