How To Really Pronounce GIF (2024)

Introduction

Throughout history, there have been numerous hotly-debated topics. That’s even more so the case today—we’ll debate about almost anything. But I don’t think there’s a segment of the population that debates issues so intensely as the web design and development community. Don’t get me wrong, we certainly have some great debates about important topics, but whoa do we argue over some minor stuff too. Look no further than the debate over, of all things, the pronunciation of an image format: GIF. Some people even go so far as to make a dedicated website of such things. Crazy, right? So… anyway, I made this website on how to really pronounce GIF. :-)

Why is it the correct pronunciation?

It’s the most natural, logical way to pronounce it. That’s why when everyone comes across the word for the first time, they use a hard G.

How is it the logical pronunciation?

Every word that starts with G, then a vowel, then an F, is pronounced with a hard G. For example:
Gaffe. Gift. Guff. Guffaw.

Most one-syllable words that start with G have a hard G (not an exhaustive list):
Gab. Gad. Gag. Gal. Gam. Gap. Gas. Gay. Get. Gig. Gill. Gimp. Gird. Girl. Git! Give. Go. Goal. Gob. God. Gone. Gore. Got. Guide. Guild. Guilt. Gull. Gulp. Gum. Gun. Gust. Gut. Guy.

The word “gift” is the closest word to GIF, and it has a hard G. To pronounce GIF, just say “gift” without the “t”.

What about Gin, Gem, Gym, Geo, and Gel?

Gin is not a good counterexample because it’s a drink derived from juniper berries, so its name is from the Dutch jenever for “juniper”. Gem comes from the Latin gemma for “jewel”. As for the other words, they are abbreviations of larger words, so they inherited their pronunciations.

Does the G in “GIF” stand for a word that has a soft G?

No, GIF is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format. The word “graphics” does have a hard G, but that doesn’t necessarily influence the pronunciation. That’s why JPEG, an acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, is not pronounced jay-feg, but rather jay-peg. Pronunciation of acronyms tends to follow pronunciation rules like any regular word. So the point here is, because the word behind the G in GIF is “graphics”, it eliminates any possible argument that could be made if the word happened to have a soft G.

Why does anyone pronounce GIF with a soft G then?

The creator of the GIF image format, Steve Wilhite of CompuServe, when deciding on the pronunciation, said he deliberately chose to echo the American peanut butter brand, Jif, and CompuServe employees would often say “Choosy developers choose GIF(jif)”, playing off of Jif’s television commercials. If you hear anyone pronounce GIF with a soft G, it’s probably because they know something of this history. If the Jif peanut butter company never existed, I suspect he would have never pronounced GIF with a soft G.

Speaking of Steve Wilhite, when he explains the pronunciation of GIF, he himself has to explicitly write, “It’s pronounced ‘JIF’.” He has to explain it this way because it goes against how it would naturally be pronounced.

Are there any valid arguments for pronouncing it “JIF”?

No. There are some websites out there (like this one) that try to convince people to use a soft G, but they rely solely on the way Steve Wilhite says it is. Mr. Wilhite was given a lifetime achievement award at the 2013 Webbys (Congratulations!). He used the occasion to mention again, “It’s pronounced ‘JIF’.” In an article in the New York Times Blog, Bits, he says:

“The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations. They are wrong. It is a soft ‘G’, pronounced ‘jif’. End of story.”

Not so fast. John Simpson, Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, disagrees with Mr. Wilhite:

“However, the pronunciation with a hard g is now very widespread and readily understood. A coiner effectively loses control of a word once it’s out there…”

I’m sure you would agree, it’s far more likely that these masters of the English language understand better than anyone how to pronounce a word.

Wilhite also mentioned that he is annoyed there is still debate over the pronunciation. With all due respect, isn’t it his own fault for choosing a pronunciation that simply doesn’t make sense?

So what now?

Now you can go forth and freely pronounce GIF with a hard G as you naturally would, because you have every right to do so. If you feel compelled to honor the pronunciation given by the GIF’s creator out of some sense of obligation, that’s perfectly fine too. In the grand scheme of things, it really isn’t a big deal. Just don’t give those of us who pronounce it correctly a hard time. :-)

As an avid enthusiast with a deep understanding of linguistics and language evolution, I find myself drawn to debates that transcend the mundane and delve into the intricacies of pronunciation, especially within specialized communities like web design and development. The discourse surrounding the pronunciation of "GIF" is a prime example of the linguistic battles that can captivate a community.

Let's dissect the arguments presented in the article:

Natural Pronunciation: The article argues that the hard G pronunciation is the most natural and logical way to pronounce "GIF." It supports this claim by citing the pronunciation of other words starting with G, followed by a vowel and an F, such as "gift," "gaffe," and "guffaw." The assertion is that most one-syllable words starting with G have a hard G.
Acronym and Graphics: The article explores the acronym aspect of "GIF," stating that it stands for Graphics Interchange Format. It contends that although the word "graphics" has a hard G, the pronunciation of acronyms tends to follow regular word pronunciation rules. This is used to argue against the possibility of a soft G in "GIF."
Origin and Creator's Intent: The article delves into the historical context, pointing out that the creator of GIF, Steve Wilhite, deliberately chose to pronounce it like the American peanut butter brand "Jif." This decision was influenced by a play on words: "Choosy developers choose GIF(jif)." The article suggests that without the association with Jif, the pronunciation would likely have been a hard G.
Validity of Pronunciations: The article challenges arguments supporting the soft G pronunciation, asserting that there are no valid reasons for pronouncing it "JIF." It highlights Steve Wilhite's explicit statement that it is pronounced "JIF" and dismisses alternative perspectives. The article also mentions the Oxford English Dictionary's acceptance of both pronunciations but argues against their validity.
Language Evolution and Control: The article addresses the evolving nature of language and the loss of control by the word's creator once it enters widespread usage. It cites John Simpson, Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, who acknowledges the widespread use of the hard G pronunciation.
Freedom of Pronunciation: The conclusion encourages readers to freely pronounce "GIF" with a hard G, emphasizing that individuals have the right to choose their preferred pronunciation. It acknowledges the historical context but suggests that the debate isn't a significant issue in the grand scheme of things.

In summary, the article provides a comprehensive exploration of the pronunciation debate surrounding "GIF," incorporating linguistic, historical, and contextual arguments to support the assertion that a hard G is the correct pronunciation.