From Hugh MacLeod’s incisive comments at gapingvoid: brain stuff, ("why most marketingspeak is so utterly dreadful"), we get fine quotes and a link to post by Kathy Sierra at Creating Passionate Users.

Kathy points to research that demonstrates people become more attentive and involved when presented with information in conversational language. She goes on to discuss many problems formal, academic-style communications. The whole article is well worth reading, but here’s the best tidbit.

When you lecture or write using conversational language, your user’s brain thinks it’s in a REAL conversation!

In other words, if you use conversational language, the listener/reader’s brain still thinks it has to hold up its end, so it pays more attention. It really is that simple, and that powerful (at least if you really want to help users pay attention and remember your message).