Steve Wilhite, who invented the enduring GIF file format in 1987, will receive a lifetime achievement Webby Award.

He is proud of the GIF, but remains annoyed that there is still any debate over the pronunciation of the format.

“The Oxford English Dictionary accepts both pronunciations,” Mr. Wilhite said. “They are wrong. It is a soft ‘G,’ pronounced ‘jif.’ End of story.”

Gif guff? Or respect to the ‘jif’?