title: How to translate (make-pathname :directory '(:absolute :home "directoryiwant") into absolute path
body: <p>I want to be able to translate a certain directory in my homedirectory on any OS to the actual absolute path on that OS e.g. <code>(make-pathname :directory '(:absolute :home "directoryiwant")</code> should be translated to  "/home/weirdusername/directoryiwant" on a unixlike system.</p>
  
  <p>What would be the function of choice to do that? As</p>
  
  <pre><code>(directory-namestring 
        (make-pathname :directory '(:absolute :home "directoryiwant"))
  &gt; "~/"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>does not actually do the deal.</p>