...blows up laughing at the mere thought of anyone trying to make sense of Derrida...

Remembered this question last night as I was reading the sci-fi classic "The Demolished Man." The author uses the word "gimpster" occasionally, and it doesn't seem to fit either of the above meanings, so I got interested and did a little research.

Apparently the word can also mean "spirit" (as in liveliness), a jagged or notched edge, or (as the acronym GIMP) a free alternative to PhotoShop, the GNU Image Manipulation Program.

My feeling is that the meaning related to the jagged edge is the one meant, but that's stretching. See what you think.

I know of two definitions for the word. Maybe one will ring a bell.

The first is used to refer to someone unable to walk because they are crippled or injured. The "gimp" can refer to the lameness or to the lame person himself. It is usually held to be vulgar and offensive.

The second meaning comes from a French word and is more correctly spelled "guimpe." It means a raised ornamental braid trim used in dressmaking.

I've never heard anything but the ess sound rather than the zee sound after TH. Anyone else?

blech. "decisive." Darn it, I win spelling bees all over the place and then forget to pay attention to spelling ever after. :)

jenga, try:

"coup de grace" and
"et al" or "et al." (with or without the period, that is).

You'll find the first comes from French and the second comes from Latin. To the best of my recollection they mean, respectively, "decisinve blow" and "and others." "Et al" is actually an abbreviation from the Latin "et alli."

"Of," not "if."

Well, the gerund is a noun made out of the present participle of the verb, to put it briefly.

PP: "I am baking the bread."
Gerund: "I am doing the baking."
PP: "I feel good when I'm running."
Gerund: "Running makes me feel good."
PP: "If the boss catches me loafing, I'm out if a job."
Gerund: "Loafing is a good way to get fired."

And with that last... I had better get to work :)

Guriko, here's how my ear and experience lead me to answer:

"I want to be an author" is an answer to "What role do you wish to have in the production of this book?" (Contrast "I want to be an editor" or "I want to be a marketing rep.") You refer to "an author" of a multi-author academic paper, too; so: "Stephen Hawking was an author of the article that appeared in Science magazine last month. Carl Sagan was one of the others."

"Writer" can be used, though it's not as nice-sounding, in any sense in which you could use "author." However, the reverse is not true. "Writer" is indeed the correct name of the profession of a person who seeks to be the author of a given work. It is true whether the writer is the author of a novel or a cookbook or even a newspaper society column.

Note, too, that you always see "the letter writer" and never see "the letter author," though you sometimes might see "the letter's author."

Sarah,

I assume your document contrasts "releasee," the one released from the contract, with "releasor," the one releasing. (Do not use "releaser" in this context.) You should simply add the "s" as usual to make either word plural. "Releasees" is correct.