So do you pronounce the k in know or other silent letters?
Tom and Tomb are pronounved very differently. Know and No very similarly (same?)
The creator gave it a name, and that is how some pronounce it. Others argue it and to me I think that’s a waste of time. (As I waste my time commenting this…)
does it really matter? as long as you passed third grade reading comprehension you can use context from the conversation to understand that the person is talking about a moving image instead of a peanut butter brand.
That’s what the inventor chose, so yup. Unfortunately, jif is the correct pronunciation.
My favorite example of this is aluminum. Twice now, I’ve spoken to British English speakers that insist aluminum is pronounced the British way. And when I point out aluminum is an American invention, they check their phone, roll their eyes, and accept that I can say it that way, but they never will.
And euphonically they’re correct, the British pronunciation of aluminum sounds way cooler. I used to use gif until I looked up the usage history specifically for these moments, hahaha. But that’s not its name. So I use jif.
There’s a concept in linguistics known as descriptivism vs proscriptivism. We either accept that things change meanings and pronunciations regionally and over time, or we try to absolutely state that there’s one correct way, and every other way is wrong.
A major issue with the “I’m right you’re wrong” approach is the in-group decides who is right and wrong. Regional slang is just wrong, not an equally valid way to speak. Those with formal educations are inherently more correct, and thus their grasp of their native language is more correct. This doesn’t really make sense when you think about it, other than to put down groups perceived as lesser.
Additionally, academics can convince themselves of one thing, and totally fail to be relevant to the real world. This leads your average person to become disenfranchised with academia and talk about how academics in their ivory towers have no understanding of how the real world works.
Very nicely put. I always noticed this phenomenon but ascribed it to people clinging to schemic security blankets, but it’s good to know that there’s a term that describes the illogical dependence on evolving correctness.
I understand that some people feel very strongly about pronunciations. So be angry about the correct pronunciation, heck, don’t use the correct pronunciation, who cares?
But Wilhite made it, so he gets to name it, regardless of the popularity of later pronunciation debates that largely take place in a forum where you can’t actually pronounce the word because we’re all typing. It’s pretty funny.
I’m not angry about the correct pronunciation, since I and most people already do pronounce it correctly. As Gif, not Jif.
But Wilhite made it, so he gets to name it
You’re right about one thing; he named it. But he doesn’t get to dictate how it’s pronounced many years later after the majority had already been pronouncing it a certain way. If he wanted it called Jif, then he should have said so from the very beginning. Why wait till 2013? Doesn’t that seem odd to you? Dude likely doesn’t even care and only declared that in 2013 to start an argument over it.
regardless of the popularity of later pronunciation
I’m sorry but the popularity of how a word is pronounced does in fact actually matter. Plus, the English language is changing all the time and how we pronounce certain words also changes. People will say what feels most natural to them.
that largely take place in a forum where you can’t actually pronounce the word because we’re all typing. It’s pretty funny.
I’ve used the word Gif in real life, multiple times. Everyone I know pronounces it the same way. 🤷🏻♀️
However, you want to pronounce it is fine, but it doesn’t make it correct.
I don’t think there’s a time limit on announcing the way a creator prefers to pronounce the name of his creation.
It became an internet sensation, people asked him about the correct way to pronounce guf, he said how he prefers to pronounce it.
I prefer to pronounce it that way as well, as the original pronunciation by the creator. That’s more correct to me, but nobody’s forcing you to pronounce it any particular way.
Except it does. This isn’t the first time to happen with the English language, and it won’t be the last.
I don’t think there’s a time limit on announcing the way a creator prefers to pronounce the name of his creation.
Sure, but the most popular way to pronounce a word wins, and it isn’t his way.
people asked him about the correct way to pronounce gif, he specified how he prefers to pronounce it.
Yea I’m aware, I read all about it back in 2013 as well.
That’s more correct to me, but nobody’s forcing you to pronounce it any particular way.
That’s nice. Now you know why the majority continue to pronounce it as Gif and not Jif, because it’s the most popular and comfortable way to pronounce it. The creators opinion on the matter is inconsequential.
This is interesting, you’re kind of proving yourself wrong. If “The most popular way to pronounce a word wins”, as you say, then why are you and others still so ardently supportive of one pronunciation(deemed correct by the inventor) or the other(deemed incorrect by the inventor)? Seems like if you had won, there wouldn’t be any debate.
It just sounds like you’re making the case that coba-bola should be the new name for Coca-Cola. That can definitely be your name for it, and you can try to convince as many people as you want of a name that you prefer. But it doesn’t change the original and correct name of that beverage.
Sure, follow the majority. While majority rule often turns out to be incorrect and it doesn’t seem like the right way for me to make decisions or judgments, it’s certainly your prerogative to pronounced jif the same way many other people do.
For you, a hard g is more popular and comfortable, and that’s great. Doesn’t make it correct, but it’s still great.
I got to be honest with you, but I’m already over this topic, so I’m not even going to read your latest response to me. There really isn’t anything new either of us have to share; you pronounce it one way, the majority pronounce it another. The end. Have a good evening/night/morning/etc.
For you, a hard g is more popular and comfortable, and that’s great. Doesn’t make it correct, but it’s still great.
Actually that’s exactly what makes it correct, language is democratic. The more popular way to convey ideas is the correct way, as that is the entire purpose of language (to convey ideas to other individuals) and that’s why language changes over time.
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