Newspapers & English

I realize newspapers are in dire economic straits, and it seems the effects are being seen on their quality. Remember: this is a format that relies upon the printed page and language to correctly communicate it's product.

So, imagine my surprise as I scanned an article today in my local San Francisco Chronicle about the 49ers. In it, I found this gem:

"J.T. O'Sullivan, San Francisco's starting quarterback for the first 7 1/2 games of last season..."

The definition of "starting," according to Dictionary.com, is "to begin an activity or a movement; set out." Therefore, how can the quarterback referenced above have "started" for half of a game? It's an inherent contradiction...like "partially pregnant."

Hey, I know it's the sports pages, but these are supposedly folks with degrees, right? Or at least they have editors who are supposed to catch these things?

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