# Who wants some Gif peanut butter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 26, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527 "2020-02-26T02:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/21 "2020-02-26T17:32:04Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > There doesn’t seem to be any sort of rule or guideline. For every soft-g “gin” and “giraffe,” there’s a hard-g “gift” and “girl.” If anything, the “hard g” seems to be more common with “gi-” initial words. I think it all comes down to what your initial instinct is–whether your brain happens to analyze it with “gift”/'girl" vs “gin”/“giraffe.” Mine happened to be the latter when I first encountered the word, so that’s how I pronounced it for years until popular usage pushed me to pronounce it with a “hard g.” The sticking point seems to be that while there are a lot more words with the soft g in the english lexicon, some of the most commonly used words have a hard g, such as give, girl, begin and gift. Like weights on a scale, a smaller weight can balance when it’s closer to the fulcrum. [The linguist Gretchen McCulloch on GIF](https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/69147/why-pronunciation-gif-really-can-go-either-way). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/22 "2020-02-26T17:41:27Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Love live the gin and ginger loving giraffes! Fine–I’ll take the gift girl. (Also, I’ll pronounce GIF with a hard “g.”) ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/23 "2020-02-26T18:05:39Z")
Jeez, is it that hard to pronounce a made-up word the way the inventor asks? It’s not an unreasonable pronunciation, it’s like “gin” with an “f”. The whole “choosy programmers” deal. It was supposed to be amusing, which breaks down if you use a hard “g”. Likewise it’s only proper pronouncing “Linux” as “Leenooks”. Torwalds invented it and named it after himself. What’s not to like? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/24 "2020-02-26T18:42:57Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Jeez, is it that hard to pronounce a made-up word the way the inventor asks? A declaration he made [26 years after inventing it](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/10072420/Creator-of-the-GIF-says-it-is-pronounced-Jif.html)? That barn is long since dehorsed. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/25 "2020-02-26T19:15:58Z")
If I’m dealing with a techie I usually just call it a G.I.F. file to keep from getting sidetracked. I never liked wording acronyms anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/26 "2020-02-26T19:24:27Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > Jeez, is it that hard to pronounce a made-up word the way the inventor asks? ‘made-up word’ is redundant and clearly, yes. Most people don’t know and don’t care what Wilhite thinks about their pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/27 "2020-02-26T20:12:41Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > The creator of the format does And the inventor of lawn tennis wanted to call it “sphairistikè”. Both of which proves that the inventor of a thing has absolutely no business naming it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/28 "2020-02-26T21:18:48Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > JLikewise it’s only proper pronouncing “Linux” as “Leenooks”. Torwalds invented it and named it after himself. What’s not to like? Actually, Torvalds early on specified two pronunciations. One based on the Finnish pronunciation of his name and one based on the Western pronunciation. There used to be a pronunciation section in the Linux FAQ with links to two sound files he created stored at UWasa. It’s just “Linus” with an “ecks” folks. But a third, bizarre, pronunciation took over and all that went into the memory hole. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/29 "2020-02-26T21:23:55Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > This gives me an idea for an exciting new game: Computer file format or airport code? > > For instance > > PDF - file format > PDX - Portland (Oregon) International Airport > > JAC - Jackson Hole Airport, Wyoming > JSP - File format > > PNS - Surprise, it’s both! Airport code or contraceptive device? IAD - Dulles Airport IUD - contraceptive device ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/30 "2020-02-26T21:31:56Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > IUD - contraceptive device You sure that’s not a guerilla-style explosive? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/31 "2020-02-26T22:32:21Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > You like hard g, fine. Just shut up with the “it’s the norm”. It’s not. _I_ personally don’t. As I’ve said twice, “jiff” was the original pronunciation I used, back in the late 80s/early 90s when the format started taking off, but I’ve found I needed to shift to “ghiff” in the mid-90s as that’s what everyone around me said. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/32 "2020-02-26T22:38:05Z")
But if you do want some kind of a citation, here’s a [2017 Stack Overflow Developer Survery](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/61p57n/we_can_finally_rest_in_peace_stack_overflow/) with 50K+ responses: 65.6% say it with the “g” in “gift.” 26.3% say it like “jiff.” 6.% say it as “G. I. F.” 2% other It also matters by country. If you live in a Francophone nation, you’re likely to pronounce it as “jiff.” ETA: [And here’s another survey from 2014](https://mashable.com/2014/10/21/mispronounced-words-tech/) with similar results. 70:30 in favor of “ghiff” vs “jiff.” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/33 "2020-02-26T22:42:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > 2% other Oh yeah, nothing better than a humorous animated throatwarblermangrove file. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/34 "2020-02-26T22:49:08Z")
I use the “gift” pronunciation, but I’m happy to fight it out in the marketplace with the “gin” folk. We don’t need any appeals to authority on this one. It’s fine for a word to have two or more common pronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/35 "2020-02-26T23:31:39Z")
At least we don’t have that problem with jape eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/36 "2020-02-27T02:38:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It also looks like “gin” with an “f” instead of an “n” at the end. I think it looks more like “genuflect” with an “i” instead of a “enu” and then a “lect” tacked on at the end. That should clear things up. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/37 "2020-02-27T05:02:20Z")
How would Pete Buttigieg say it? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/38 "2020-02-27T06:07:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > 2% other They’re the ones who don’t like confrontation and just make the first letter silent. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/39 "2020-02-27T06:10:59Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > At least we don’t have that problem with jape eggs. The p in jpeg stands for photographic. So why aren’t people arguing that it should be pronounced jay-feg? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527/40 "2020-02-27T08:53:59Z")
It’s actually DGIF. The D is silent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-wants-some-gif-peanut-butter/848527.md?page=3)