Definition of OWN transitive verb 1 a: to have or
hold as property: possess b: to have power or
mastery over (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/owner?show=0&t=1328133008)
To be highly proficient in Brooksian English — the language of privilege — requires
mastery over not just an alphabet and rules of grammar, but also an enormous range of assumed knowledge, historical references, and cultural allusions that are commonly
held by members of a speech community.