84
all 45 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] Aurenkin@sh.itjust.works 70 points 2 years ago

I'd pronounce it Graphics Interchange Format Friend

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago

The G in GIF stands for Giraffics.

[-] hudson@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago

“Sally”

[-] NightAuthor@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Did you know SCUBA is an acronym?

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 20 points 2 years ago

Like Griff but without the r.

[-] slazer2au@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago
[-] jballs@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 years ago

No, the file format uses the same g sound that you get in gigantic.

[-] jetsetdorito@lemm.ee 18 points 2 years ago

anything besides the peanut butter pronunciation sounds weird

[-] evdo 15 points 2 years ago

Still not "jiff". I'm not a coward.

[-] NightAuthor@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Jiff is the minority opinion, how would it be cowardly to use it?

[-] AgentOrangesicle@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

I suppose I would pronounce it like, "Giff".

[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Giff with a hard g.

Yes there are many examples of soft g before i, like gist. But English orthography isn't self-consistent, so ultimately all these arguments become reductio ad absurdam.

~~G in GIF stands for Graphics. Period.~~

I agree that g for graphics isn't a terribly good argument one way or another. But the reductio ad absurdam part is the more important bit. All language, ultimately, is arbitrary, with successful information exchange being the only measure that really matters. It's especially so for something like GIF that occurs far more often in text than speech.

[-] dandroid@dandroid.app 6 points 2 years ago

I find the "G stands for graphics" an extremely weak argument. In English the pronunciation of acronyms never seem to consider the pronunciation of the original words. Examples include scuba and laser. If you pronounced those like the letters in the original words, they would be pronounced scuhba and laseer.

That said, pronounce it how you want, I don't care. You don't need a reason to pronounce it one way or another beyond "this is the way I heard first" or "this is the way I hear the most". But the "graphics" reason is not a good one because (at least in English) nothing else follows that rule.

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I choose giraffics.

[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 years ago

In that case, my vote is on GIF with the voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ from genre and measure.

[-] RGB3x3@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

It's ✯✯fancy✯✯

[-] Guadin@k.fe.derate.me 9 points 2 years ago

The same as how I would pronounce "giraffe" but without the "ira" and "e".

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago
[-] Klear@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Girlfriends forever.

[-] DahGangalang@infosec.pub 8 points 2 years ago

Exactly how it's spelled.

[-] 7fb2adfb45bafcc01c80@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

Probably like the peanut butter, because I wouldn't want it to be confused with my gorilla with the name spelled the same way, but pronounced with a hard 'g' sound.

[-] Michal@programming.dev 8 points 2 years ago

I would rather nickname it 'raff

[-] Chickenstalker@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

I would pronounce it as stupid long horses.

[-] halvar@lemm.ee 7 points 2 years ago

I would pronounce it with a Ezh (Ʒ) (the sound in pleasure), as that's the sound we use to pronounce it in my language.

[-] mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 years ago

I'd rather nickname it Jeff. Jeff Bezos.

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Before or after you shave it bald?

[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

I'd quit using nicknames because of my lack of creativity and style

[-] Skyline969@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 years ago

I would pronounce it like Giraffe without the ra - unlike the GIF file format which is like Gift without the t.

[-] emeralddawn45@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 years ago

If the only reason to pronounce it 'jif' is because of the context of it being a giraffe, then its a bad name and it also kinda proves the point of everyone who says that 'gif' shouldn't be pronounced 'jif'.

[-] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Oh shit wait no he has a point

[-] twistypencil@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I would pronounce it Harold

[-] Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee 1 points 2 years ago

Giff, the double f means hard g to me. Whereas the single f in gif demands a soft g.

[-] medusa@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago

"Giraffe" etymologistically speaking has roots in the Middle East, giving it a "je" sound: jarraf, zarafa, et al

spoiler"ultimately from Persian زُرنَاپَا‎ (zurnāpā), a compound of زُرنَا‎ (zurnā, “flute, zurna”) and پَا‎ (pā, “leg”)".
So if it's "Giff" like "giraffe" - /dʒɪf/ - soft g like "George". If it's named after someone with a name like Kathy Lee Gifford, then hard G.

[-] subspaceinterferents@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

I think I see where you're going with this...

this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
84 points (100.0% liked)

Showerthoughts

34398 readers
755 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. No politics
    • If your topic is in a grey area, please phrase it to emphasize the fascinating aspects, not the dramatic aspects. You can do this by avoiding overly politicized terms such as "capitalism" and "communism". If you must make comparisons, you can say something is different without saying something is better/worse.
    • A good place for politics is c/politicaldiscussion
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct and the TOS

If you made it this far, showerthoughts is accepting new mods. This community is generally tame so its not a lot of work, but having a few more mods would help reports get addressed a little sooner.

Whats it like to be a mod? Reports just show up as messages in your Lemmy inbox, and if a different mod has already addressed the report, the message goes away and you never worry about it.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS