Well, dictionary English, yes, but in US usage that I see, prodigal is almost always used in the "prodigal son" sense, and the profligate nature of the prodigal is elided, with emphasis on "he was unspecifically bad, and then he came back and was accepted".
Illyria: We cling to what is gone. Is there anything in this life but grief? Wesley: There's love. There's hope...for some. There's hope that you'll find something worthy...that your life will lead you to some joy...that after everything...you can still be surprised. Illyria: Is that enough? Is that enough to live on?
'Shells'
Natter 62: The 62nd Natter
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
flea - Dec 01, 2008 6:08:51 am PST #3788 of 10002
information libertarian
§ ita § - Dec 01, 2008 6:21:10 am PST #3789 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
in US usage that I see, prodigal is almost always used in the "prodigal son" sense, [...] "he was unspecifically bad, and then he came back and was accepted".
Yeah--that's kind of what I meant by my question:
Am I right in thinking "prodigal" is often used to mean long-lost-but-now-returning and not spendthrift?
I.E. it's not used to mean profligate, although that's what it's supposed to mean. And the "prodigal son" sense, he is profligate. It's just not what people seem to be taking away from the parable.
Connie Neil - Dec 01, 2008 6:22:29 am PST #3790 of 10002
brillig
I'm now wondering at the connection between "prodigal" and "prodigious."
flea - Dec 01, 2008 6:23:21 am PST #3791 of 10002
information libertarian
Right. I guess we agree. Sorry I misunderstood.
Kat - Dec 01, 2008 6:27:35 am PST #3792 of 10002
"I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret." Leigh Bardugo
But the prodigal son returned, sheepishly, because he spent all he had.
eta sorry for the xpost.
§ ita § - Dec 01, 2008 6:45:34 am PST #3793 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
The whole prodigal thing had me confused for a while.
There's a strange man on my balcony. They're painting the exterior of the building, but we're given no advance warning as to when they'll climb up the outside wall onto our balcony or just a moment before they'll paint the floor outside your apartment so you're hemmed in until it dries.
A note would have been nice.
tommyrot - Dec 01, 2008 7:07:29 am PST #3794 of 10002
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Did I mention that we had a note posted in my building that they had gotten rid of the washers and dryers (with no advance warning), and that they'd be replaced (after some work was done in the laundry room) at some unspecified point in the future?
And it's been almost a month, with no laundry facilities, and no info on when we can expect laundry facilities. Some people wrote angry notes on the posted notices, which were then taken down and fresh ones put up.
A month is really too long for this to be going on, huh?
§ ita § - Dec 01, 2008 7:26:54 am PST #3795 of 10002
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
That's infuriating. I'm not sure what I'd do in the face of it.
Jesse - Dec 01, 2008 7:41:02 am PST #3796 of 10002
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Oy -- reminds me of my old apartment where we lost cooking gas plus the laundromat downstairs for MONTHS. What a nightmare.
msbelle - Dec 01, 2008 7:48:19 am PST #3797 of 10002
I remember the crazy days. 500 posts an hour. Nubmer! Natgbsb
Does your lease mention laundry access on the premises? If so, then you might have a cse for withholding some rent.