Is it the use of Dative vs Accusative that clarifies the meaning of Учить?

[Mark Kingdom]

Hi All,

Я *учу** *друга русскому языку.

My sources tell me this sentence would translate as: I am *teaching *a
friend Russian.

Yet: Я *учу** *стихотворение.  This translates as, "I am *learning** *a
poem."

So, a sentence like this: Я учу русский язык.

...is it clear if I am *learning *it, or *teaching *it? I realize a greater
context will clarify,
but without such context, does it have dual meaning?

Or does accusative vs dative clarify? For example:

Я учу русскому языку.

Does the dative case there somehow imply that now you are teaching an
unnamed person
the Russian language?

I really despise this verb. (In a loving sort of way, of course.)

Thanks all,

Mark

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