How Do You Pronounce GIF?

Have you been saying GIF with a hard "G" all these years? You're doing it wrong, say the makers of this animated video. In "A History of the GIF," produced by LEGS, director Sean Pecknold schools viewers on the origin of the funny, dancing images we love so much.

Have you been saying GIF with a hard “G” all these years? You’re doing it wrong, say the makers of this animated video.

In “A History of the GIF: Moving the Still,” produced by LEGS, director Sean Pecknold schools viewers on the origin of the funny, dancing images we love so much.

CompuServe released the first GIF in 1987 under the file name 87A. When the name was changed to Graphics Interchange Format, inventor Steve Wilhite pronounced the acronym GIF with a soft “G,” or “J” sound, like the peanut butter.

What’s in a name? Not much.

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