| |  | | 
14-Aug-2003, 15:23
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Country: Dalian, China
Posts: 519
Member Type: Student or Learner | | 'Study' & 'Learn' Whilst teaching today a question entered my mind: What's the difference between 'study' and 'learn'?
A student told me "Learn is when you have a teacher, and you watch / listen to them in order to gain knowledge. Study is when you do things alone"
The example in the book used this dialogue:
A: "Did you learn English at high school?"
B: "No I didn't. I studied it at college"
I then asked the student who gave me the explanation:
"Don't these two place both use classrooms? Teachers? Don't you have to watch / listen at both of these places? How are they different?"
So, can anyone tell me the difference between these two words? I was never taught a difference, and IMO, there is very little difference, save for usage. To learn the different usage of these words, you'd have to listen to many different examples.
Can anyone help?
Shane | 
14-Aug-2003, 18:23
| | Member | | Join Date: May 2003 Country: Spain
Posts: 133
| | Care of Merriam-Webster
to STUDY
1 : to read in detail especially with the intention of learning
to LEARN
1 : to gain knowledge or understanding of or skill in by study
Both entries refer to each other, so in my book they are very closely linked. If you try hard enough I'm sure you could find some subtle difference between them - but ask yourself: is it important? Is it useful? Will my head explode in the endeavour? :wink:
Iain | 
14-Aug-2003, 19:57
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Country: USA
Posts: 16,216
Current Location: North Carolina Native Language: English Member Type: Other | | They are not the same thing, although they are closely linked. Learning is the goal and, hopefully, the result of study. It is possible to say, "I studied, but I didn't learn." In practice, the two words are often used pretty much the same way. If a person says "I studied English at college" the unspoken assumption is that he learned it too. If a person says "I learned English at college it is naturally assumed that he did at least some studying. So while the two words do not mean the same thing, they are closely linked.
:) | 
14-Aug-2003, 21:15
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
Posts: 27,460
Current Location: Tokyo Native Language: English Member Type: English Teacher | | Study is the work and learn is the result, although you can study without learning and learn without studying. Of the two, learning is better IMO. | 
15-Aug-2003, 01:57
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Country: Dalian, China
Posts: 519
Member Type: Student or Learner | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by dduck If you try hard enough I'm sure you could find some subtle difference between them - but ask yourself: is it important? Is it useful? Will my head explode in the endeavour? :wink:
Iain | You ask these questions, but here, it IS important. In fact, it's life or death - if the students don't know the difference between these words, they will fail their exam. If they fail the exam, they don't get to go to university. If they don't go to university, their lives are effectively ruined; they won't find a good job, ever
Thanks for all your help guys!! I thought they were pretty much the same thing :) | 
15-Aug-2003, 06:51
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by shane You ask these questions, but here, it IS important. In fact, it's life or death - if the students don't know the difference between these words, they will fail their exam. If they fail the exam, they don't get to go to university. If they don't go to university, their lives are effectively ruined; they won't find a good job, ever
:) |
HI Shane, I can understand what you said here for that I'm lucky to have passed by that terrible period preparing for the entrance exam, and I succeeded finally.
So I still remembered the difference between 'study' and 'learn' told by my teacher just as Tdol and Ronbee mentioned above: 'study' is a course or work, while 'learn' is a result no matter the result is good or not. Hope what I said here can help.
Lucy wu | 
15-Aug-2003, 07:22
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Country: Dalian, China
Posts: 519
Member Type: Student or Learner | | Hi Lucy, good to see you back here :D
Did you have a nice time on your travels?? | 
15-Aug-2003, 12:17
| | Editor, UsingEnglish.com | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: UK
Posts: 27,460
Current Location: Tokyo Native Language: English Member Type: English Teacher | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by lucyarliwu Quote: |
Originally Posted by shane You ask these questions, but here, it IS important. In fact, it's life or death - if the students don't know the difference between these words, they will fail their exam. If they fail the exam, they don't get to go to university. If they don't go to university, their lives are effectively ruined; they won't find a good job, ever
:) |
HI Shane, I can understand what you said here for that I'm lucky to have passed by that terrible period preparing for the entrance exam, and I succeeded finally.
So I still remembered the difference between 'study' and 'learn' told by my teacher just as Tdol and Ronbee mentioned above: 'study' is a course or work, while 'learn' is a result no matter the result is good or not. Hope what I said here can help.
Lucy wu | Congratulations. | 
17-Aug-2003, 06:16
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by shane Hi Lucy, good to see you back here :D
Did you have a nice time on your travels?? | Hi Shane, thanks for your hot greeting! :)
Ya I do have a good time by travelling and I'm now in Qingdao enjoying the hilarious International Beer Festival. That's a great fun here!
Lucy wu in Qingdao | 
17-Aug-2003, 06:36
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Country: Dalian, China
Posts: 519
Member Type: Student or Learner | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by lucyarliwu I'm now in Qingdao enjoying the hilarious International Beer Festival. | Cool! We have the International beer festival here in Dalian, too!! I haven't been there though; I'm too busy working |  | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 13:59. |