More Abuse of the Language

In a recent promo for Channel 7 (WHDH) News in Boston, an anchorwoman delivers the following brilliant observation:

"I'm a self-described news junkie."

If you say "I'm a news junkie," you are by definition a "self-described news junkie."

The only conceivable reason to use the phrase "self-described" in this sentence would be to imply that self-description is not, in fact, true -- i.e., you are a "self-described" news junkie because no one else would ever describe you as such. ("Self-proclaimed" would be a better word choice in that case.)

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