"Jif" not "Gif"

[muto]

Sorry, but Jif is peanut butter.

[Payday]

Nope, it's all about context and usage. In this case, both .gif and .jif are file types. If you pronounced them both 'jif' when talking to someone, the context really muddles the ability to differentiate between the file types.

The only clear course of action is to pronounce them correctly according to how they are spelled.

It's not rocket science.

Type "jif file format" into google and let me know what you get.

[Eroginous]

Type "jif file format" into google and let me know what you get.

https://www.google.com/search?q=jif+...ient=firefox-a

[Tribunal]

They are both image formats, so your argument about context is a fail.

"Hey Rick, did you send me over that jif yet?"

"Wait, I thought you wanted it in a gif format?"

"Yeah I do, a jif."

"You mean you want a graphics interchange format, or a jpeg?"

"A graphics interchange format."

See how it's just easier to call it a gif?

If we're eliminating all confusion in language, we should all say and write "you are" so more people realize and use the correct form of the word.

.jif is a relatively obscure format (it's not just a JPEG) that no one in the thread seemed to be aware of (hence it not being any part of your arguments) until one guy brought it up.

I'd go so far as to say 99% of the time, if you hear "Jif" they mean .gif, and most things involving gifs are done in writing anyways.

Besides, typing "u" instead of 'you' is technically easier and no-less clear, but that doesn't make it right.

[dremnit]

the creator of the gif created a product, but not the culture. i'll call it whatever i want

[Tribunal]

Nope, it's all about context and usage. In this case, both .gif and .jif are file types. If you pronounced them both 'jif' when talking to someone, the context really muddles the ability to differentiate between the file types.

The only clear course of action is to pronounce them correctly according to how they are spelled.

It's not rocket science.

The correct pronunciation is the one provided by the inventor of the format and thus the "word". If I create a new micro-blogging site, and tell you it's called Tumblir but pronounced Tumbler, I am not wrong. You can argue that I am confusing, contrived (which .jif is in this argument, being the newer format, for the record), etc, but I am not wrong. That is just not how names work.

Besides, arguing "oh but they have the same context" is like saying you can't say "I'm going to Paris this summer" because you might mean Paris, TX or Paris, MI. Outside of very very specific circles, the context is clear as day.

[Masark]

It's Jill not Gil.

Grissom disagrees.

Try and tell me how you pronounce PNG in the form of a word, as .gif is..

Imagine in an "I" sound and say it "ping".

[Catta]

ive always said jif...


Also imgur is im-guhr - not imager

[Eroginous]

The correct pronunciation is the one provided by the inventor of the format and thus the "word". If I create a new micro-blogging site, and tell you it's called Tumblir but pronounced Tumbler, I am not wrong. You can argue that I am confusing, contrived (which .jif is in this argument, being the newer format, for the record), etc, but I am not wrong. That is just not how names work.

Besides, arguing "oh but they have the same context" is like saying you can't say "I'm going to Paris this summer" because you might mean Paris, TX or Paris, MI. Outside of very very specific circles, the context is clear as day.

Actually, the correct pronunciation of a word entirely depends on it's every day common usage by people, not the guy who invented it. How do you think we get slang?

I've never heard it called a 'jif' before until a few days ago, and I have to admit it's pretty retarded.

[Tribunal]

Actually, the correct pronunciation of a word entirely depends on it's every day common usage by people, not the guy who invented it. How do you think we get slang?

I've never heard it called a 'jif' before until a few days ago, and I have to admit it's pretty retarded.

So because someone goes their entire life mispronouncing "cache" or any other commonly mispronounced word, based on how it is spelled, it is suddenly "slang" and they are right to say it the way they do?

Slang isn't a new pronunciation most of the time. It's not even usually a misuse of a word (although 'irregardless' and 'could care less' are doing their part in trying to change that). It's a new use for an old word or a new word or phrase altogether (a colloquialism).

The mispronunciation of "gif" you people seem to want to defend to the death is neither of those.

The case also stands that it is more of a name than a general noun. And the namer is the end-all, be-all of the name.

Edit: Also, lovely that you've resorted to just calling people retarded. I'm pretty sure that's the white flag of "I know I am wrong and will just never admit it".

[Vanyali]

So because someone goes their entire life mispronouncing "cache" or any other commonly mispronounced word, based on how it is spelled, it is suddenly "slang" and they are right to say it the way they do?

If it catches on, yes.

But a single person using it is generally a mispronunciation. In the case of the .gif, it'd be a the new word, regardless of the original intent of pronunciation.

/linguistic geek

[Tribunal]

If it catches on, yes.

But a single person using it is generally a mispronunciation. In the case of the .gif, it'd be a the new word, regardless of the original intent of pronunciation.

/linguistic geek

Well aware of linguistics, but the poster above is breaking it down to "I never saw it the other way thus my way is right" which is not slang in the slightest.

I'd argue that a mispronunciation does not become slang, so much as it becomes common enough to be noted, like gif.

[Exac]

It is at least gratifying to know that I was pronouncing it correctly all these years.

[s_bushido]

So because someone goes their entire life mispronouncing "cache" or any other commonly mispronounced word, based on how it is spelled, it is suddenly "slang" and they are right to say it the way they do?

It's not just "someone" it's "a lot of people." If a pronunciation is common enough for us to even be having this debate, then the creator can get stuffed, or get over it.

[Tribunal]

It's not just "someone" it's "a lot of people." If a pronunciation is common enough for us to even be having this debate, then the creator can get stuffed, or get over it.

"Your wrong" grows more and more common. We don't just throw correctness out the window because less and less people care.

He named it .gif, said "JIF", likely on purpose (the team back then made all the "Choosy Moms" puns people seem to think are so new in this thread). That's really the end of the story.

We can note the common but incorrect pronunciation, and normalize it to a degree, but it doesn't make it the correct one.

[Franzy]

It's like Dr Seuss, it's actually pronounced 'Soice' but misinformation made everyone pronounce it how it looks, and is still acceptable.
GIF/JIF who cares anymore.

[s_bushido]

"Your wrong"

My wrong what?

[darkwarrior42]

It's not just "someone" it's "a lot of people." If a pronunciation is common enough for us to even be having this debate, then the creator can get stuffed, or get over it.

Do you tell people with strangely spelled names that they're pronouncing their names wrong too? I know a guy named "Joonchaiya", pronounced "Ooh-Chai-yuh"; would you tell him he's pronouncing his name wrong because he's not pronouncing the "J"?

---------- Post added 2013-05-24 at 12:51 AM ----------

My wrong what?

That's his point; many people write "Your wrong" when they mean "You're wrong" or "You are wrong"; they don't suddenly get to be right just because there are a lot of them making the mistake.

[Kapaya]

Todays first world problems eh

[s_bushido]

Do you tell people with strangely spelled names that they're pronouncing their names wrong too? I know a guy named "Joonchaiya", pronounced "Ooh-Chai-yuh"; would you tell him he's pronouncing his name wrong because he's not pronouncing the "J"?[COLOR="red"]

It's his name, not a widely used term that happens to have two accepted pronunciations.