Welcome to this eponymous channel and its corresponding group. I plan to use these when I come across interesting questions related to language, grammar, syntax, conventions, nomenclature and other word-nerdy things like that.

For example, "word-nerdy things"? Is that right? Let's discuss!

However, whether it's "nomenclature, and other word-nerdy things" or "nomenclature and other word-nerdy things" is likely settled law in your personal jurisdiction, so let's leave the serial comma to the serial commoners, amirite?

Whenever some subscribers join my currently lonesome channel and not-really-a-group-if-it's-just-me chat, let’s kick things off Nike-style, sneak in a superfluous pun and start an unwonted debate re:
• A pair of Nike
• A pair of Nikes
• A pair of Nike's*

Make your argument however you choose, but my first thoughts go to things like:
• What if I swap out Nike for other shoe brands that do and do not end in -s (e.g., a pair of Adidas/Adidases, a pair of Puma/Pumas, a pair of Dr. Martens/Dr. Martens' shoes — are there inherent plurals?)?
• Are there hidden quirks when using possessive constructions such as "pair of" with countable/uncountable nouns (e.g., a pair of underwear? a pair of Macs? a pair of Maxs?)?


*Idk why, but I initially thought Nike's was right and personally prefer the way it looks. I would love to find a convincing argument for why it should be stylized that way — or, at least, could be.