The Right Words
I think it was one of my teachers at high school who said once that using the right words is essential for everybody to be understood. Sounds obvious? Sure, it is. Look at this joke that I've heard on a TV show a few weeks ago. (For Italians, it is an excerpt from Ficarra & Picone, Zelig Circus.)
The joke assumes you're familiar with "mafia" and "pizzo" (the money they ask you to pay for protection).
A Sicilian family (where mafia was historically born) decides to spend a day out of town. They drive out to the direction of a far, but known to be really nice, beach. Headed to the region's main highway, they have to stop at the tollgate. The man there asks for a few money--the toll--he says.
"What? Are we supposed to pay to drive here? That's weird and absurd. We're just going to the beach..."
The poor main at the tollgate explains patiently. No way.
"We can't understand why are we supposed to pay to go to the beach..."
The man points out: "It's not like this; you must pay to drive on this highway". No way.
"We can't understand why are we supposed to pay to go to the beach... What's this toll? Is it a sort of pizzo?"
And the poor man at the tollgate agrees: "Yes, if you want to call it this way..." The family relieves at the news; smiles, pays the toll, and waves at the man saying "Why didn't you say it at once?"
Maybe I had to say feedback
here. :-))))