I’ve come across a couple different blogs and websites lately where their use of the English language is, to say the least, lacking. Some of these sites are run by non-native speakers, and I’m usually willing to forgive them their lack of perfection. After all, I know I couldn’t put a sentence together in their language.

The sites that I am thoroughly confused by, are the ones where native speakers choose to use slang and colloquialisms rather than professional language. Now I’m not talking about somone’s MySpace profile, or their personal website. Those are places that you should be allowed to be yourself and have fun with it.

No I’m talking about professional websites and blogs. Places where people are trying to make a living selling products and services. One place I came across was even a blogging network startup (much in the vein of MyBlogLog.) The main information for the product was relayed through a blog where the main writer apparently thinks he’s an OG from ‘da hood but speaks more like someone who’s “pretty fly for a white guy.”

Is this meant to entice the reader? Make them laugh? Only if you’re making fun of him. The content of the blog is actually informational and would be of good use to the potential user of the platform if it were written in proper English. As it is now, the reader has too hard a time deciphering the slang to actually get the information presented.

I have to say that I have been completely turned off from this product and will likely never utilize their resources due to the fact that I don’t want to take half an hour making sense of a four line post. Their main site hasn’t even launched yet, and already they’ve lost a potential client.

If that doesn’t prove the need for using proper English, I don’t know what could.

Update: I intentionally did NOT include a link to the site. I wouldn’t want to anger or alienate anyone. The web is still a pretty small place.

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