# Giga? Jiga? Pronuciation of the billion metric prefix. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058 "2006-09-01T12:49:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/1 "2006-09-01T12:49:51Z")
In this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7736373#post7736373](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7736373#post7736373) I was challenged over my contention that the Giga metric prefix is commonly mispronounced. I am contested on this every time I am talking to some moron in a place like Best Buy, yet my check of older dictionaries doesn’t even mention the hard G as an option. I say that Chris Lloyd was right in “Back to the Future”, and the leisure suit hard drive salesmen are wrong. What say the dopers? /iconoclastic //especially if I feel I am right ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/2 "2006-09-01T12:53:42Z")
I learned the metric system in the early '70s. I was tought that giga is pronounced with a hard G. I giga’s root is Greek, then wouldn’t it be pronouned with a hard G? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/3 "2006-09-01T12:54:17Z")
I say Gigga. Jigga sounds vaguely racist, like niggardly. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/4 "2006-09-01T12:54:44Z")
I was also _taught_ how to spell. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/5 "2006-09-01T13:01:22Z")
Dunno what the “rulebook” says. I’ve heard both; I’d say I used to hear (hard)Giga more in the past, and tend to hear more “Jiga” nowadays, but I’m not in the US (or even in the English speaking world) so I don’t know if this trend extends to you guys as well. Since it’s a Greek root, it **should** probably be “G[h]iga”, but words eveolve away from their origins, and ultimately usage defines “right” and “wrong”, not the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/6 "2006-09-01T13:25:38Z")
It’s only ever been “gigga” here in Canada, not “jigga”. I was dismayed when I heard “jiggawatt” in _Back To The Future_; I thought that was just a Stupid Hollywood Science Error; I never knew that it was considered a standard pronunciation at one time. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/7 "2006-09-01T13:34:54Z")
I always heard ‘giga’ with a hard ‘g’ from professors while studying engineering in college 2001-2006. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/8 "2006-09-01T14:01:22Z")
As it relates to computers, all I’ve ever heard was GIGaBytes, never JIGaBytes. Isn’t this a valid use? “Yep, she’s got a eighty JIGabyte hard drive.” Doesn’t sound right. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/9 "2006-09-01T14:10:38Z")
I’ve never heard anything but the hard g. But I do have an ancient colleague who pronounces it with a long i. And he remembers computing when it was two roomfuls of chicks inverting matrices by hand. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/10 "2006-09-01T14:16:54Z")
You know, these threads come up now and again about how to pronounce some word. I’m just always stunned how nobody bothers to look it up in the dictionary. The two I consulted this morning list both pronunciations as acceptable. Case closed… _or is it?_ ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/11 "2006-09-01T15:49:41Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > You know, these threads come up now and again about how to pronounce some word. I’m just always stunned how nobody bothers to look it up in the dictionary. > > The two I consulted this morning list both pronunciations as acceptable. Case closed… I agree, kah-say cloe-zed. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/12 "2006-09-01T19:49:28Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > You know, these threads come up now and again about how to pronounce some word. I’m just always stunned how nobody bothers to look it up in the dictionary. > > The two I consulted this morning list both pronunciations as acceptable. Case closed… _or is it?_ When were these dictionaries published? I would be interested to know if there was some kind of shift over time. Not that common usage doesn’t trump all, but I would like to know. I was told that the soft G was preferred, at least in the past. /At least there isn’t any controversy about “Tera” //or is there? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/13 "2006-09-01T20:20:30Z")
I have never heard it as jigga. It will always remain gigga to me ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/14 "2006-09-01T20:37:00Z")
> [@Happy Wanderer](#): > > When were these dictionaries published? I would be interested to know if there was some kind of shift over time. Not that common usage doesn’t trump all, but I would like to know. I was told that the soft G was preferred, at least in the past. My dictionary is a Merriam-Webster from about 1998 or so, which is [online, too](http://www.m-w.com/). But I forgot what the other one in my office is… but it may date from the 1980s. “Gigabyte” was not in there, but “giga-” was. American Heritage Online has a pronunciation guide which you can click on and hear an authoritative, manly voice saying, “[jiga-bite](http://www.bartleby.com/61/17/G0121700.html).” If that voice doesn’t convince you that it is an okay pronunciation, then nothing will. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/15 "2006-09-01T20:45:29Z")
From just reading it I assumed gigga. Then I went to engineering school, and was taught jiga…by the electrical engineering anc communication profs. The comp sci guys had giga-nothing in those days. (early 80’s) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/16 "2006-09-01T20:46:24Z")
My 1980 version M-W lists both pronunciations, with “jig-uh” listed first. The only words listed beginning with “giga-” were “gigabit,” “gigacycle,” and “gigahertz,” all of which I understand, but none of which have I ever heard in conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/17 "2006-09-01T20:49:10Z")
Here, it has only ever been Giga with a hard G. _Back to the Future_ is the one and only occasion I have heard it pronounced “jigga”. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/18 "2006-09-01T20:55:23Z")
Since we’re all adding our own anecdotes: my Dad was in college during the 60s, studying sciences, and when Back to the Future came out he didn’t bat an eyelash at the professor’s pronouncing it with a ‘J’ sound. We even had a little discussion about how much energy that was, and Dad used the ‘J’ sound then, too. P.s. according to Dad, at that time if you studied sciences or engineering you were required to study German, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/19 "2006-09-01T21:11:10Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > Here, it has only ever been Giga with a hard G. _Back to the Future_ is the one and only occasion I have heard it pronounced “jigga”. IMDB says regarding [Back to the Future](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/trivia): > [@](#): > > The prefix “giga” was formerly more commonly pronounced as jiga, just as Doc Brown pronounces it > [@](#): > > In the film’s script the word “gigawatt” is spelt “jigowatt”. Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis had been to a science seminar and the speaker had pronounced it “jigowatt”. . Not that that’s the end of the discussion, just how confusing it is to lots of people. I’m a hard G guy myself. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058/20 "2006-09-02T00:00:12Z")
“Hard G” Giga here. Jiga sounds like some sort of new street drug, the newest hybrid automobile. Or maybe an energy drink. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giga-jiga-pronuciation-of-the-billion-metric-prefix/371058.md?page=2)