• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

"GIF" or "JIF"

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

"GIF" or "JIF"

  • GIF

  • JIF

Results are only viewable after voting.
Mixolydian said:
Yes, and GIF is one of those.
Click to expand...
Under what rule would that be? pretty much the only exceptions are for words that stem from other languages, as this one was created in modern times, from modern English, it follows the standard rules, you don't make exceptions, you allow for them. Calling it "gif" is not allowing for one, it is creating one.
 
sactoking said:
He did. He invented the GIF while working for Compuserve and the proper pronunciation was printed in the manual. It's not his fault that stupid men refuse to read instructions.
Click to expand...

My second point was that things have names and you can't really rename them once an accepted name has been attached to them. Willis Tower vs. Sears Tower. Willis Group can tell everyone that the proper name of that tall building in Chicago is Willis Tower; no one will call it that because it's already named Sears Tower in the minds of everyone.

Now in this case I suppose the hard G pronunciation is technically wrong and has been from the start. But that is the more-used pronunciation and it will continue to be the more-used pronunciation forever.

I think a similar thing happened with the SCSI interface. The creators wanted people to pronounce it like "sexy," but instead everyone said "scuzzy" because that's what it looks like.
 
The real problem is people insisting on trying to pronounce acronyms. Nothing is correct/incorrect because the premise is wrong from the very start.
 
mnewsham said:
Fuck the English language rules too apparently 😀
Click to expand...

Except GIF is not a word, it is an acronym for "Graphics Interchange Format." The "G" in "Graphics" is pronounced like in "Gift", not as in "Giraffe" (Two "Gi" words). Accordingly, the acronym would follow the sound of the word the letter "G" came from, thus, GIF as in Gift.

(There might be exceptions to that rule, too, but GIF is not one of them.)

MotionMan
 
This thread makes me want to go into a fullblown shorty rant complete with the full range of expletives but the mods have been a bit frowny on that lately so I'll just go with...

JIF

Everyone else, turn in you internet card, you are not worthy.
 
MotionMan said:
Except GIF is not a word, it is an acronym for "Graphics Interchange Format." The "G" in "Graphics" is pronounced like in "Gift", not as in "Giraffe" (Two "Gi" words). Accordingly, the acronym would follow the sound of the word the letter "G" came from, thus, GIF as in Gift.

(There might be exceptions to that rule, too, but GIF is not one of them.)

MotionMan
Click to expand...


Where are these rules of acronyms you speak off?

GACT

Generally Available Control Technology

So you would say JACT not GACT?

GRAM
Generalized Rank Annihilation Method


etc etc
 
Last edited:
MotionMan said:
Except GIF is not a word, it is an acronym for "Graphics Interchange Format." The "G" in "Graphics" is pronounced like in "Gift", not as in "Giraffe" (Two "Gi" words). Accordingly, the acronym would follow the sound of the word the letter "G" came from, thus, GIF as in Gift.

(There might be exceptions to that rule, too, but GIF is not one of them.)

MotionMan
Click to expand...

I've never in my life heard anyone make the claim that an acronym's pronunciation is dependent on how the letters that compose it are pronounced in the word they abbreviate. Probably because most letters don't have any ambiguous pronunciation when they appear at the start of a word, so it's rare that anyone would argue about the pronunciation of any resulting acronyms. But as a counter-example, GIMP (photo editing software) is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is pronounced with a hard G, exactly like the word it spells out. But you'd be hard pressed to argue that GNU is meant to be said with a hard G. And, having just looked this up, apparently GIMP originally stood for General Image Manipulation Program, "General" also not starting with a hard G.

I'll go with what the designer intended, mainly because the first time I ever heard "GIF" pronounced, it was with a soft G (so apparently I've been saying it properly for 20+ years now).
 
lxskllr said:
The real problem is people insisting on trying to pronounce acronyms. Nothing is correct/incorrect because the premise is wrong from the very start.
Click to expand...

I swear that a true acronym used to be abbreviations that made somewhat intelligible words like radar, scuba, awol, et cetera. I know that languages evolve as the people and cultures around them also change, but nothing wrong with holding on to traditions either.
 
Atomic Playboy said:
I've never in my life heard anyone make the claim that an acronym's pronunciation is dependent on how the letters that compose it are pronounced in the word they abbreviate. Probably because most letters don't have any ambiguous pronunciation when they appear at the start of a word, so it's rare that anyone would argue about the pronunciation of any resulting acronyms. But as a counter-example, GIMP (photo editing software) is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is pronounced with a hard G, exactly like the word it spells out. But you'd be hard pressed to argue that GNU is meant to be said with a hard G. And, having just looked this up, apparently GIMP originally stood for General Image Manipulation Program, "General" also not starting with a hard G.

I'll go with what the designer intended, mainly because the first time I ever heard "GIF" pronounced, it was with a soft G (so apparently I've been saying it properly for 20+ years now).
Click to expand...

gnu means wildebeest in quite a few languages and I always hear it pronounced with a hard G :colbert:
 
Atomic Playboy said:
I've never in my life heard anyone make the claim that an acronym's pronunciation is dependent on how the letters that compose it are pronounced in the word they abbreviate. Probably because most letters don't have any ambiguous pronunciation when they appear at the start of a word, so it's rare that anyone would argue about the pronunciation of any resulting acronyms. But as a counter-example, GIMP (photo editing software) is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is pronounced with a hard G, exactly like the word it spells out. But you'd be hard pressed to argue that GNU is meant to be said with a hard G. And, having just looked this up, apparently GIMP originally stood for General Image Manipulation Program, "General" also not starting with a hard G.

I'll go with what the designer intended, mainly because the first time I ever heard "GIF" pronounced, it was with a soft G (so apparently I've been saying it properly for 20+ years now).
Click to expand...

I've always heard GNU pronounced with a hard G.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top