This year I realized that the Graphics Interchange Format is likely here to stay.
So how do you pronounce GIF when your friends send you an animated five seconds from Harold and Kumar?
If something is done in a jiffy, it’s done quickly, an advantage of the GIF.
The format creator is on record calling it a jiff.
If you go to the gym and see Jim but do a jig at your gig, then what?
Here’s why I now say Giff.
‘Graphic’ starts with a hard G.
Gin is a great gift. Do you get my gist? The only word in the English language that starts with G-I-F is gift, with a hard G. No jiffed with a J.
Last, if you take all logical spellings of the term, you get GIF, GIFF, JIF, and JIFF. Mathematically, if you pronounce G-I-F with a soft G or J sound, there’s literally no way to spell the hard G version and at least four ways to spell jiff.
So what do you think? How did you read the name when you started the article, and then when you finished.
GIF?
Next week: J-pedge.
Rich Williams 