Sometimes words just seem to pop up everywhere. I must have heard the word "denizen" half a dozen times in the past two days. Now, I have always been good at determining (or "guessing" if you want to be technical) definitions from the context. I felt I knew the word. This is kind of like how Stephen Colbert "feels" the truth. There is not necessarily a relationship between the feeling and the facts. Anyway, at the fourth time I heard it used, I decided it was time to learn it properly.
Let's start with my assumption. Based on the times I have encountered the word denizen in print and in conversation, I came to the conclusion that a denizen was a person who lived or hung out in a particular place. What I was unclear on was whether it had any legal implications, like being a citizen.
One of the nice thing about wanting to learn definitions is that you can accomplish this very easily. In fact it is one of the simplest exercises in research. People could look up words before there was even an Internet, kids. The fact that dictionaries are now online makes the process short and sweet. For those who wonder what might be a thoughtful gift to give me, access to the OED online would be right up there. WORD NERD!
Here are the findings: I was right. Go me! The primary definition at the Merriam-Webster dictionary is an inhabitant. This is also expanded to include resident. The secondary definition addresses my confusion about the difference between a denizen and a citizen. A denizen can be a person who is granted residence in a foreign country and receives some or all the rights of citizenship. In this definition, a denizen is a cut above legal alien. In other usage, a denizen is a person who frequents (hangs around) a particular place. Less interesting but also accurate, denizen can refer to plants or animals that adapt to a new environment.
So how shall I use this in a sentence? I think I will make a brief listing on my denizenships.
I am a denizen of used bookstores and coffee shops, dusty theatres and messy workspaces.
There is a sense of belonging in denizen. It does not simply describe being in a place, but rather inhabiting, living in that place. It has a sense of membership. I am a denizen when I belong. This isn't always a net positive, one can easily be a denizen of a drug house or a maximum security prison. We don't always belong someplace nice. But if I had to pick between belonging or isolation, I know where I would lay my bet.
I hope I will be a denizen of Vermont. I never really felt that sense of habitation here in Toronto. It's been a place full of great people but mostly missed connections. Time for something new.
Let's start with my assumption. Based on the times I have encountered the word denizen in print and in conversation, I came to the conclusion that a denizen was a person who lived or hung out in a particular place. What I was unclear on was whether it had any legal implications, like being a citizen.
One of the nice thing about wanting to learn definitions is that you can accomplish this very easily. In fact it is one of the simplest exercises in research. People could look up words before there was even an Internet, kids. The fact that dictionaries are now online makes the process short and sweet. For those who wonder what might be a thoughtful gift to give me, access to the OED online would be right up there. WORD NERD!
Here are the findings: I was right. Go me! The primary definition at the Merriam-Webster dictionary is an inhabitant. This is also expanded to include resident. The secondary definition addresses my confusion about the difference between a denizen and a citizen. A denizen can be a person who is granted residence in a foreign country and receives some or all the rights of citizenship. In this definition, a denizen is a cut above legal alien. In other usage, a denizen is a person who frequents (hangs around) a particular place. Less interesting but also accurate, denizen can refer to plants or animals that adapt to a new environment.
So how shall I use this in a sentence? I think I will make a brief listing on my denizenships.
I am a denizen of used bookstores and coffee shops, dusty theatres and messy workspaces.
There is a sense of belonging in denizen. It does not simply describe being in a place, but rather inhabiting, living in that place. It has a sense of membership. I am a denizen when I belong. This isn't always a net positive, one can easily be a denizen of a drug house or a maximum security prison. We don't always belong someplace nice. But if I had to pick between belonging or isolation, I know where I would lay my bet.
I hope I will be a denizen of Vermont. I never really felt that sense of habitation here in Toronto. It's been a place full of great people but mostly missed connections. Time for something new.
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