DECIDING WHICH WORD is the right word can be a challenge. English has borrowed and absorbed words from other languages for centuries, so it’s not unusual to find many words that have similar but subtly different meanings—and choosing one instead of another can make a very different impression on the audience. For instance, the “pasta with marinara sauce” served in a restaurant may look and taste much like the “macaroni and gravy” served at an Italian American family dinner, but in each case the choice of words says something not only about the food but also about the people serving it—and about the people they expect to serve it to.