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

[oothappam]

I am so glad you posted this question because I have the same problem with this verb. If anyone replies off list to Mark, please reply to me too!

Nola
oothappam at earthlink.net


-----Original Message-----
>From: Mark Kingdom <k2kingdom at GMAIL.COM>
>Sent: Sep 21, 2010 6:14 AM
>To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
>Subject: [SEELANGS] Is it the use of Dative vs Accusative that clarifies  the meaning of Учить?
>
>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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