Pedant

During the NHL playoffs I have been trying to meet with friends regularly, about once a week, to watch some of the games.  I know I swore off the league, but I enjoy following the sport too much.  I guess I’m just weak.  Besides, it’s the playoffs and probably the best playoffs of any sport.

This Thursday there will be two games, the final games of those best of seven series.  I’ve been debating whether I should call them “game sevens” or “games seven”.  I like the way “games seven” sounds because it sounds like I’m a pretentious grammar pedant, even if “game sevens” may be technically correct.

I started thinking about phrasing things this way back in high school when I overheard a conversation between two friends.  One girl contended that when you order at Taco Bell you should order two “tacos supreme” instead of two “taco supremes.”  (Yes, Greg.  Everyone has already heard your joke about the difference between a regular being and a supreme being is the tomatoes and sour cream.)  The reason for saying it this way is that taco is the noun and supreme is the adjective.  You pluralize the noun:  tacos are what you’re buying, not supremes.   What was missed in that conversation is the fact that Taco Supreme is a registered trademark of Taco Bell and, therefore, a proper noun.  Since it is a proper noun, Taco Supremes is the correct way to pluralize it.

Despite what might be the correct usage, I still want to say “games seven” even if it makes me seem like a pretentious asshole.  I’m pretty sure you all think I am that anyway.