Quote Originally Posted by angelos View Post
Hi guys,

The pronoun свой was for me one of those things that I’ve always tried to stay away from.

I finally took the brave decision to throw some light on свой!
Good job!

I would like to add a few words on the meanings of свой. It is widely used not only as a pronoun but also as an adjective or a noun expressing various ownership-related meanings.
In particular, it is used as such in your examples:

1) one's own, in the sence of property, ownership:
У него есть свой бизнес.
Своя рубашка ближе к телу.

2) "not other's", "not alien", "one of us":
Свой дурак дороже чужого умника.
У нас нет от неё секретов: она здесь своя.
Свой свояка видит издалека.
Не стесняйся, здесь все свои.

Some more examples:

3) "one's own will", "one's own way"
добиться своего - to carry one's point, to achieve one's goal
действовать по-своему - to act in one's own way

4) "specific", "original":
В этой музыке есть своя прелесть.

5) "appropriate", "suitable":
Всему своё время.
На всё есть свои правила.

6) "natural", "common"
умереть своей смертью - to die a natural death
Он сам не свой. - He is not himself.