Prodigal Son

Question

Hello,I would like to know the meaning of "Prodigal son". I have always thought that the word "prodigal" always carries with it a negative connotation. But I recently came across an article which talked about a famous sportsman, not in any negative sense at all and the article carried a picture of the person with the caption "Prodigal Son: He played his first match in 1989, aged 16".Please clarify.Thanks,Prasanna

Enoon · Accepted Answer

"Prodigal" has to do with profusion or wasteful extravagance. The writer probably thought it was the adjectival form of "prodigy". Oddly, there is no adjectival form for that word. We have to use the noun attributively: "Prodigy Son: He played his first match in 1989, aged 16".

RandomGuy · Answer

prodigal son

a man or boy who has left his family in order to do something that the family disapprove of and has now returned home feeling sorry for what he has done

Source: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/prodigal-son

(Does this fit into the context at all?)

Sarnga1157 · Answer

This article actually appeared in a newspaper in a leading newspaper in the UK. So I was wondering if they would actually make a mistake!

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Hi Prasanna;

The parable of the prodigal son is from the Bible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Prodigal_Son

Literally, prodigal means to waste ones money, but "prodigal son" refers to the main character in the story.

Jesus told the story after the religious leaders complained that he associated with bad people.
He said, " A rich man's youngest son asked for his share of the father's estate before the father died.
The father agreed and gave him all his inheritance. The boy went to a far country, and spent everything foolishly, on gambling, entertainment, and all kinds of rich things. He had a lot of friends. But soon, all the money was gone. His friends (not real friends) disappeared. He lost everything and soon became very poor. The only job he could find was taking care of dirty, smelly pigs. He was starving and thought that even these pigs lived better than he did. His father's servants were better off.
So he was very sorry for what he had done. He went back to his father, and begged to be a servant, he asked his father to forgive him for the bad things he had done. His father was very happy that his son had returned. He gave him the best food and clothes.
But the other brother was very angry and jealous. He complained to his father - I stayed with you and helped you. My brother acted very badly. Why did you treat my brother this way when he squandered all the money that you gave him? The father said "Because my son was lost, and now he has learned his lessons, and come back to me."

So a prodigal son is a young man who in his youth does very bad things, but later on is very sorry and lives the life of a good man.

Sarnga1157 · Answer

Thank you. I read these about prodigal meaning wasteful and about a son who was lost in his ways and then came back, but does this fit into this context at all? Or, can it only be that the author is just wrong?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

sarnga1157Thank you. I read these about prodigal meaning wasteful and about a son who was lost in his ways and then came back, but does this fit into this context at all? Or, can it only be that the author is just wrong?

You will have to give us more information in order for us to understand how the article you read fits the parable. Otherwise, we can only guess. Is it John McEnroe?

Sarnga1157 · Answer

It's Sachin Tendulkar. Here is the article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/india/9660941/Sachin-Tendulkar-has-the-keenest-cricket-mind-of-anyone-since-Don-Bradman-let-us-enjoy-him-while-he-lasts.html

Enoon · Answer

I see no justification for "prodigal" in that story.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

enoonI see no justification for "prodigal" in that story.

In fact, there was no reference to "prodigal" in that story.

Compare with this one: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/11/sports/the-prodigal-son-becomes-a-favorite-son-in-tennis.html

Henry74 · Answer

According to Collins Dictionary the adjective 'prodigal' can also mean
2. lavish in giving or yielding? prodigal of compliments.

This is actually the way we use it in Italian. 'Prodigal son' can be synonymous of first-born, for us.
I didn't know that in English the first meaning was in fact the opposite of this.

H.

Prodigal Son

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