GIF, JIF or G-I-F?

For a long time I have been saying it as G-I-F. But then I read some time ago that the creator of GIFs pronounced it as JIF. Therefore, it only makes sense to say it that way too haha

 

I always say it GIF, though in a large group I sometimes get flustered and call it both GIF and Jif. Jif is peanut butter though. Plus Gif verbs better. "I hate wne it isn't Giffing.

 

The creator of the GIF file format is clearly wrong, and does not understand the English language. I'll explain.

Notwithstanding that "Jif" is a kind of peanut butter (which it is), the correct pronunciation for GIF can be found in the acronym itself, what the words stand for. "GIF" stands for "Graphic Interchange Format", and the word "Graphic" is pronounced with a soft G. Therefore, it follows that "GIF" is also pronounced with a soft G, and not a hard one.

If the creator of the GIF file format wanted its name to be pronounced with a hard G, he should have called it "Giraffe Interchange Format". After all, "Giraffe" starts with a hard G, so it makes sense.
This is not an argument about semantics. This is an argument about grammar and word construction. And, in arguments about grammar, there is clearly a right and a wrong side.

 

I don't think we can really say what's right or wrong in this situation. There is only what you think sounds right. But to be honest this is all just a matter of preference. GIF isn't even an actual word to begin with so I don't think those word construction rules apply. It's an acronym, so if you wanted, you could either say "GIF" or spell it out as "G-I-F" (which is probably where "JIF" comes from).

However, the creator wants it to be "JIF" so I decided that I will call it that out of respect. I don't think there's any need to have debates on how it should be called haha. Let's all just call it the way we want to xD

 

I use jif. I don't really know why... I just started to pronounce it that way. My friends keep correcting me and telling me it's gif, but I ignore them

 

I say GIF. Always have and always will, even despite what the creator of GIFs says. I'll pronounce it JIF when graphics is pronounced as jraphics, as GIF is short for graphics interchange format. So it makes sense to me to prounounce it with the hard G in graphics.

 

100% I called it GIF. Who cares what the creator of it says, G stands for graphics, and graphics is pronounced with a hard G-sound. Also, pronouncing it with a J-sound reminds me of the peanut butter, and I don't need to think of peanut butter when that's all said and done.

 

I pronounce it as jif. All my friends kept correcting me and i tried to say it gif but, after some time i ended up saying it jif again. So now, i did not try to change my pronunciation and keep it saying jif.

 

I pronounce GIF that doesn't remind me of a brand of peanut butter. It's how I always pronounce it despite what others say.

 

I just say it letter by letter, I had a professor who called it Gif though.

 

I know its GIF, but I pronounce it JIf.

 

I don't really feel strongly towards either pronunciation, but I tend to say GIF more often. It just sounds better to me.