# How do you pronounce "GIF"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417 "2009-02-11T20:28:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Commander\_Keen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Commander\_Keen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Keen)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/1 "2009-02-11T20:28:17Z")
One of the great debates of our time: how do you pronounce the image format GIF ( **G** raphics **I** nterchange **F** ormat)? Is it G as in giraffe, or G as in gift? I’m on the giraffe/“jif”/soft g side, and present as support this webpage: [The GIF Pronunciation Page](http://www.olsenhome.com/gif/) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/2 "2009-02-11T20:47:59Z")
Hard G. I hate when someone says it with a soft G. I mean, “graphics” is a hard G so why would you use the soft G? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/3 "2009-02-11T20:49:19Z")
This is one of those areas where I understand it’s technically incorrect, but the masses have caused a change. I’ve always known its creators intended it to be pronounced “jif” (and for a year or two in the 80’s that’s how I said it), but I’m sorry, it’s “gif”. I’m on the side of the “‘G’ is for ‘Graphics’, not ‘Jraphics’” folks. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/4 "2009-02-11T20:59:14Z")
It’s GIF, not JIF. If they wanted it pronounced like the peanut butter, they should have spelled it that way. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/5 "2009-02-11T21:00:24Z")
Hard “g.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/6 "2009-02-11T21:02:22Z")
Like “gift” without the T, not like what choosy mothers choose. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/7 "2009-02-11T21:19:44Z")
GIF like peanut butter. So sue me. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/8 "2009-02-11T21:20:19Z")
Hard G. But, I do like the Doc Brown pronunciation of gigawatt. I’m a sentimental ol’ fool, I am. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/9 "2009-02-11T21:25:13Z")
GIF. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/10 "2009-02-11T21:26:11Z")
How do you pronounce prix fixe? As in a prix fixe menu? ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/11 "2009-02-11T21:28:19Z")
Also, what about “beau?” As in, “That’s her beau.” Also spelled “beaux” sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/12 "2009-02-11T21:31:33Z")
Hard G. And Pree Feex. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/13 "2009-02-11T21:37:54Z")
Soft g ---
**Author:** ![Elyanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Elyanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elyanna)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/14 "2009-02-11T21:38:09Z")
Like gift without the t. I had no idea it could be anything else. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/15 "2009-02-11T21:39:14Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Also, what about “beau?” As in, “That’s her beau.” Also spelled “beaux” sometimes. Or “boo.” She my boo. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/16 "2009-02-11T21:46:40Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Also, what about “beau?” As in, “That’s her beau.” Also spelled “beaux” sometimes. “Bo”, like Bo Jackson. “Beaux” is the plural, pronounced “boze”. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/17 "2009-02-11T22:01:22Z")
The inventors of the file format pronounced it with a soft g. All right-thinking people pronounce it with a hard g. [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIF#Pronunciation) ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/18 "2009-02-11T22:15:13Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > GIF. 🙂 If you mean saying the letters individually (gee-eye-eff) rather than reducing them to one syllable, you agree with me. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/19 "2009-02-11T22:25:47Z")
Like the peanut butter. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417/20 "2009-02-11T23:01:52Z")
ASCII means “American Standard Code for Information Interchange”. Everyone pronounces it Askee. Should they pronounce it Ask-ih because the two I’s are pronounced that way as the beginnings of their words? It’s “jiff” because that’s how it looks like it should be pronounced. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-gif/485417.md?page=2)