14 DAY TRIAL // Startups usually try to outdo themselves with 'imaginative' names and abbreviations for the sites or services, Flickr and co. Sometimes they go overboard with all sorts of symbols and odd names, this has been happening from Yahoo! onwards.
But some of this strange spelling makes it harder to search for the site or service and harder to put it in a sentence in a way that does not bring tears to your eyes.
Google should have known better than this, but it too is a victim of the trend. First there was the +1 button - try searching for that on Google - and then there was Google+ - try registering a domain with '+' in the name.
But the damage's been done, Google+ may be housed at plus.google.com, but it is strictly referred to as 'Google+' and not Google Plus. Same goes for the +1 button.
Thankfully, some people at Google thought it would be wise and helpful, perhaps spurred by an influx of complaints, to explain just how to write +1 in a variety of contexts, focusing particularly on the use of the apostrophe.
"First, thank you for caring enough about grammar to read this article. You’re exactly the type of person for whom this answer was written," Google starts.
"You see, +1 is that special type of term that functions as both a noun and a verb," it explains.
"As a result, all sorts of variants can come up as you’re talking about your favorite way to recommend pages on Google search. To wit: +1’s, +1’d, and +1’ing," it added.
By now, you've seen this spelling in countless places, Google has been using it for the past few months. But it may seem odd to use an apostrophe for plurals, +1s seems more natural. Google explains that its form is also correct.
"It’s true that usually you’d use apostrophes with possessives (Brett’s surfboard) or when you’re removing letters to create a contraction," Google wrote.
"But it’s also acceptable to use an apostrophe to add clarity and make sure people read words as intended," Google explained. So, there you go, now you can rest assured about your grammar when bragging about your +1's.