Git

Posted: January 20, 2014 | Categories: Miscellaneous

Linus Torvalds created a distributed revision control and source code management system called git: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git_(software). Git is pronounced like 'get', substituting an 'i' for the 'e' in get. The open source world has embraced it in a big way and it's how you install most anything related to Apache Cordova.

Git is also an English slang word for 'a silly, incompetent, stupid, annoying, senile elderly or childish person': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git_(slang). I'm a huge Monty Python fan and learned about git from the (my favorite) Argument Clinic sketch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y).

I never quite made the connection between the two until recently.

I've started using git (the source code management system, not the slang word) more and more at work lately as well. I was on the phone the other day with a colleague in London and, during the conversation, he referred to the system as 'jit.' Recognizing that he was from the UK and probably knew about git (the stupid person thing) I had to point out that he was pronouncing it wrong.

He replied by telling me that Linus' selection of that word for his software caused a bit of trouble for people in the UK. No surprise there. Apparently, people from the UK will say jit when referring to the software system git to avoid the perception that they were referring to the other application of git. Too funny, people being forced to mispronounce a word in order not to offend.

In my conversation with him, I said something like “you know it's git, right, as in Stupid Git?” As I said that I quickly realized I'd made a mistake – and said “wait a minute, isn't Stupid Git redundant?” It sure is. I had to laugh out loud.

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