Well, Hank, this is America, where we bastardize our own native tongue to no end, so I suppose it should come as no surprise that we allow limitless alternative spellings of a word from a different language. That said, because we're on the Dark Side (arguing a moot point well beyond the point to which doing so is worthwhile is the object of the game, right?), I can't let it go quite that easily. To do so might suggest that I lack the frivolity required to be deemed a successful poster over here.

To be completely accurate, "capisce" is a derivative of "capisci" (as noted in your reference), which literally means "Do you understand?" (singular first person). The derived form "capisce" is generally associated with Italian Americans (the Mafia, in particular), who have also altered other Italian words similarly (apparently to eliminate the need to pronounce the last syllable in informal speech) over the years. Given the sort of people associated with the origins of the word, I, for one, would recommend avoiding misspellings, particularly those that alter the pronunciation. People have been sent to "sleep with the fishes" over less eggregious misgivings.

Were the origin of the word French, your chosen spelling would be phonetically correct. In Italian, "ch" is pronounced like a K (as in Chianti or Machiavelli). No matter how many alternative spellings American conventions may allow, the fact remains that there is only one truly correct spelling, and you didn't use it.

As regards your assertion that I have difficulty recognizing jokes, I will concede that there is some truth to that at times, but generally only when the "joke" is poorly-delivered or, as in this scenario, doesn't strike me as funny. I personally don't think a restaurant worker, a lawn curator, or a ditch digger is any less useful to society than anyone else, and it annoys me that other people do. Perhaps that is why your joke went over my head. Then again, lest I forget, it could be because I'm stupid....

I hope you have more for me... this is fun!